More than 20 young Black entrepreneurs took an important step toward building their business dreams when they gathered for the first-ever Black Youth Creative Market in Ontario’s Halton Region. The event gave young people a chance to sell their products, connect with customers, and gain real business experience.
Hosted on July 24 by Iree Pathway in partnership with Halton Black Voices, the market welcomed entrepreneurs between the ages of 10 and 17. The event celebrated creativity while helping young people develop confidence, business skills, and stronger community connections.
First Black Youth Creative Market Creates Business Opportunities for Young Entrepreneurs
The inaugural Black Youth Creative Market featured a wide range of youth-led businesses. Visitors browsed handmade jewelry, clothing, artwork, books, baked goods, custom accessories, and home décor. They also enjoyed live performances, music from a DJ, food tastings, and raffle prizes throughout the day.
For many of the young vendors, the event marked an exciting milestone. Several entrepreneurs completed their very first sales while introducing their brands to customers outside their family and friends. The experience offered valuable lessons about running a business and serving real customers.
Among the participants was 10-year-old Hikmah Meshimo, the youngest entrepreneur at the market. She began making loom bracelets at just six years old. At the event, she proudly displayed colorful bracelets, beaded accessories, and phone decorations for shoppers.
How Iree Pathway Turned a Family Idea Into a Community Event
The idea behind the market came from Abi Adekitan, founder and board member of Iree Pathway. She explained that the organization focuses on youth empowerment and practical skill development for young people and women.
The inspiration started during the COVID-19 pandemic. While her children stayed home, Adekitan began teaching them baking instead of allowing them to spend all day on electronic devices. She soon realized many other parents wanted similar opportunities for their children.
“So basically, we’re a not-for-profit. Our focus is youth empowerment, skill training for youth and women,” Adekitan said. “We came about during COVID. My kids were all at home, and I was just tired of them being on the screen.”
Since officially launching three years ago, Iree Pathway has offered baking, sewing, and cooking classes. These programs help young people build practical skills while boosting their confidence.
Black Youth Entrepreneurship Inspires the Growing Community Market
The youth market itself grew from another family experience. One of Adekitan’s daughters started selling custom T-shirts and made a sale to someone outside their family.
That moment changed everything.
“The first person who purchased something from her was not my friend or a family member, it was a complete stranger,” Adekitan said. “She was so excited that a stranger could see value in her creation.”
Seeing her daughter’s excitement inspired Adekitan to create similar opportunities for other young entrepreneurs. Initially, organizers expected only 10 vendors. However, demand quickly exceeded expectations.
“Initially, we wanted just 10 vendors, then we realised there was so much interest, and now we’re over 20 vendors,” she said. “I’m just so overwhelmed and inspired by the creativity of these kids.”
She added that the goal is to encourage children to create, build, and explore entrepreneurship rather than spending excessive time using electronic devices.
Halton Black Voices Partnership Helped Bring the Vision to Life
To expand the event’s reach, Iree Pathway partnered with Halton Black Voices. The organization already had experience organizing Afro-Caribbean community markets throughout the region.
According to Adekitan, that experience helped transform the idea into a successful community event. The partnership created an environment where young entrepreneurs could showcase both their creativity and their growing businesses.
The event was coordinated by 15-year-old Kayla Onasanya, a Grade 10 student at Appleby College. After discovering the opportunity on Instagram, she volunteered because of her interest in event planning.
“My mum is an event planner, so I’ve always loved helping her with events,” Onasanya said. “I felt this position was a perfect fit for me.”
She created vendor labels, generated QR codes linking customers to social media pages, and helped ensure everything ran smoothly throughout the event.
The Future Looks Bright for Black Youth-Owned Businesses
Beyond product sales, the market highlighted the creativity, innovation, and determination of Black youth across Halton Region. It also demonstrated how community support can encourage young entrepreneurs to continue developing their ideas.
Events like this provide more than temporary sales opportunities. They help young people gain confidence, improve communication skills, understand customer service, and learn valuable business lessons that can last a lifetime.
Following the success of its first edition, organizers hope the Black Youth Creative Market will continue growing each year. With continued community support, even more young entrepreneurs could gain access to the resources, encouragement, and visibility needed to transform creative ideas into successful businesses.
