The Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree La Mar Taylor and Influencers PR founder Ahmed Ismail accompanied the singer, The Weeknd, in the launch to aid elevate Canada’s underrepresented talent. The development of the extension of the program called Black Hxouse created a whole new scope on the mentorship initiative for black creatives.
According to Forbes, Black Hxouse’s main goal is to be the first program in Canada dedicated to the long-term economic advancement of Canada’s BIPOC community. The program will accept people of color ages 18 to 32 for exclusive business programs, workshops, and mentoring.
“Programs like this help to address economic oppression, which is one of the issues we want to solve through this project,” says Ismail. “A lot of people are looking for answers. Creativity is the new commodity.”
The program launched in February 2020 and made it a goal to serve the underserved beyond Black history month.
“We’ll continue the program through in-person classes and e-learning, says Taylor. “We’re continuing to brainstorm and navigate through the pandemic.”
The Weeknd also joined the long list of celebrities to aided in the Covid-19 relief efforts as a way to give back to the Black community.
“We want to help build an economy where everyone can advance their careers and thrive professionally and in their personal lives,” says Claudette McGowan, global executive officer of cybersecurity at TD. “With Black Hxouse, we will explore opportunities to elevate and empower people to succeed and grow and focus on building an even more inclusive bank and society.”