Description

Join us on Tuesday, February 17 at 8:00 AM for a powerful Black History Month event presented in partnership with the Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce and the London Heritage Council.

This inspiring morning will celebrate the past, present, and future of Black entrepreneurship in Canada, highlighting the resilience, innovation, and leadership of Black business owners and changemakers. Through a keynote address and a dynamic panel discussion, attendees will explore opportunities, challenges, and pathways to success for Black entrepreneurs in today’s evolving economic landscape.

The conversation will focus on access to capital, community support, mentorship, innovation, and the role of institutions in fostering inclusive growth—while amplifying empowered voices that continue to shape Canada’s business ecosystem.
This event is an opportunity to learn, connect, and engage in meaningful dialogue while honoring Black history and looking ahead to endless possibilities for future generations.

We invite business leaders, entrepreneurs, community members, and allies to join us in celebrating Black excellence and supporting the future of Black entrepreneurship in Canada. Free for Members and non members

Opening song: Lift Every Voice and Sing - Raquel Dahlber & Marque Smith
Facilitator: Carl Cadogan London Black Heritage Council
Keynote speaker: Nadia Mc Cormack - Residence Inn by Marriott London Downtown

Panelists:
Cleveland Brownlee - TBBC London Inc
IkanaAbasi Meyen Segun-Ijagbemi - Lexnova Advisory & Ngaika Bay
Makayla Forster - Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce - Mercury Maverick Consulting Group
Brock Childerhose - Co-operators


Carl Cadogan
He has a long history of community involvement and volunteering; he has served on numerous boards, committees, and task forces, including the Premier’s Council on the Voluntary Sector, and the Provincial Work Group on Gaming (that redesigned the Ontario Trillium Foundation). He is currently on a number of local, national and international boards including The Grand Theatre, Thames Talbot Land Trust, Fanshawe Pioneer Village, Urban Roots London and the London Black Heritage Council.

Carl has held senior and executive roles in the not-for-profit sector and is currently the Senior Regional Manager, Southwestern Ontario for the Kidney Foundation of Canada. He lives in London with his wife Cynthia and in his spare time, loves to travel, and has been to every province and one territory and to thirty US states, and sixteen African countries. He is an avid cyclist, reader, and kite flyer.

Makayla Forster
Makayla Forster is a strategic consultant with over a decade of experience in B2C and B2B software and SaaS organizations, specializing in strategic implementation and business development. Holding a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a focus on economics and community development, she is known for her expertise in client engagement and driving growth. Makayla has had the privilege of partnering with renowned clients across industries (including retail, finance, government, education, and logistics) helping them scale their businesses and foster lasting relationships.
In addition to her private consulting work, Makayla partners with a global beauty technology company at the intersection of digital marketing, brand strategy, and creator-led commerce. Her work focuses on optimizing growth strategies, strengthening brand–creator relationships, and driving long-term, scalable success in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

As the founder of Mercury Maverick Consulting Group, Makayla provides tailored solutions for both startups and established businesses, focusing on optimizing operational efficiency, driving revenue growth, and executing data-driven strategies. She is passionate about mentoring the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs, having worked with diverse teams across various industries.
Makayla is recognized for her ability to connect with audiences through innovative ideas, actionable insights, and an authentic leadership style. She is committed to supporting businesses on their journey to scale and thrives in collaborative, dynamic environments that encourage innovation and mutual growth.

Cleveland Brownlee 
He is the general manager of The Better Bin Company, a sister company of Try Recycling, and the designated hitter with the London Majors.

Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, he came to London in 2010 to play for the Majors. He took The Better Bin Company from a London-based startup to a regional enterprise servicing a coverage area spanning from Sarnia to Guelph. Actively involved with a lengthy list of community organizations, he puts in countless volunteering hours in his adopted hometown, lending his energy to help motivate and inspire people to work together. In 2019, he was the recipient of the President’s Award from the London Home Builders’ Association. 

Nadia McCormack-McIntyre
General Manager, Residence Inn by Marriott London Downtown
President, SKÅL International London
Nadia McCormack-McIntyre is a hospitality executive, community leader, and advocate for inclusive economic growth in Canada. She currently serves as General Manager of the Residence Inn by Marriott London Downtown, where she leads hotel operations, strategic planning, and people development building high-performing teams while fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for guests and staff alike.

At the core of Nadia’s leadership is a deep belief in people, culture, and opportunity. Her work focuses on mentorship, workforce development, and creating pathways for growth particularly for Black professionals, entrepreneurs, and underrepresented communities. Her leadership approach is grounded in resilience, collaboration, and service, shaped by lived experience and a commitment to lifting others as she leads.
Nadia is the President of SKAL International London and actively supports collaboration across the tourism and business sectors. She also serves on the People & Culture Committee and the Community Services Committee of the London Chamber of Commerce, where she contributes to initiatives focused on inclusive workplaces, leadership development, and community impact.

In addition, Nadia is a proud co-owner of Mackie’s Jerk & Catering, a family-run business founded here in London that celebrates Caribbean culture, community, and entrepreneurship through food.

Brock is deeply committed to community building and inclusive leadership. He serves as an Elder at Oakridge Presbyterian Church, co-founded the church’s African and Diaspora Ministry, and is a co-founder of the Black Leadership Development Group, focused on mentoring and empowering emerging Black leaders.

IkanaAbasi Meyen Segun-Ijagbemi
She is a global legal professional with a strong focus on legal technology, innovation, and trade. She is also a serial entrepreneur with experience across Africa, the United Kingdom, and Canada. She advises creatives, founders, small and growing enterprises, and technology startups on legal and business structures that convert ideas into profitable, scalable, and sustainable ventures.
Her work spans corporate-commercial regulation, international trade, AI governance, and market expansion, with a clear focus on aligning regulation, risk, and structure to commercial outcomes. She has served as a local expert contributor to the World Bank Group’s Women, Business and the Law Annual Report since 2021, providing jurisdiction-specific legal insight that supports women’s economic participation and long-term business viability.
Beyond her advisory work, Ikana is married and serves as a mentor to teenagers at the RCCG Grace Assembly Church in London, Ontario. She also operates a profitable gifting brand and a quarterly pop-up retail venture designed to advance trade and commerce by connecting people, culture, and capital. Across her legal advisory, entrepreneurship, and community work, Ikana is driven by one principle: well-designed structure is what turns ambition into profit, growth, and legacy in the long run.


About the Musicians: 

Marque Smith
Was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario.  He studied classical piano at The Royal Conservatory of Music and jazz piano at Humber College.  He has performed at events honouring such world leaders as Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. 
 
Marque is also a very experienced choral musician who has been a member of The Nathaniel Dett Chorale, The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, The Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir, The Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus and The Karen Schuessler Singers. He can be found on the Marquis Classics recordings Listen to the Lambs: The Music of R. Nathaniel Dett and An Indigo Christmas…Live with The Nathaniel Dett Chorale. He can also be found on the recordings Live Off The Floor with Elizabeth Paddon, Don’t Rain On My Parade with Cindy Ashton and Love with Angus Sinclair.
 
Marque has music directed Evita, The Secret Garden, Bye Bye Birdie, Cinderella, Nine, White Christmas, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee  The Producers  My Son Pinocchio, School House Rock, Assassins, Honk, I’m Sorry The Bridge Is Out You’ll Have To Spend The Night, Xanadu, Rocky Horror Show, Seussical Beauty and The Beast, Songs For A New World, The Fantasticks, Aladdin and Matilda
 
Marque moved from London to Port Stanley in October 2025.  He is the music Director at Grace United Church, Sarnia, collaborative pianist at Lester B. Pearson School for the Arts, London and accompanist and band leader with London Gospel Collective.  He was also the Recipient of the 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal from the Governor General for dedicated service to his peers, his community and to Canada.

Raquel Dahlberg

Mezzo-soprano Raquel Dahlberg graduated from Western University with concurrent degrees in Genetics and Vocal Performance. During her time at Western she participated in masterclasses led by prominent musical clinicians from Canada and the United States and performed the role of Olga in UWOpera’s production of Lehar’s The Merry Widow. As a member of the award-winning choir Les Choristes, she sang in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Orchestra London. She has held choral scholar positions at several local churches and is a member of one of London’s chamber choirs, Chor Amica. Recent performances include Handel's Messiah, Brahms’ Ein Deutches Requiem and Bach’s Magnificat.