• We have reached the end of this years series! We hope you have enjoyed and celebrated these young, gifted and black individuals as much as we did. This is just a bite size of the greatness that is to come, we wish we could feature everyone but there’s only so many days in the month ! Stay tuned for some big announcements this year and tag any young, gifted and black individual you know below! In the meantime join us in celebrating this years features one more time! . If you’d like to purchase a print of this years series. Check out the link in our bio
    00
    We have reached the end of this years series! We hope you have enjoyed and celebrated these young, gifted and black individuals as much as we did. This is just a bite size of the greatness that is to come, we wish we could feature everyone but there’s only so many days in the month ! Stay tuned for some big announcements this year and tag any young, gifted and black individual you know below! In the meantime join us in celebrating this years features one more time! . If you’d like to purchase a print of this years series. Check out the link in our bio
  • BLAQK GOLD 29 [BONUS] - Zaria Paris Zaria Paris is a 14 year old African Nova Scotia entrepreneur ( Blkprenuer) and a grade 9 student at Highland Park Jr High. Zaria has worked on having her own lash line for some time now. The lash line is called Lash Game and started from zaria wearing lashes everyday, and spending a lot of money doing so. Eventually Zaria said mom I want to start my own lash line. Of course her mother’s response was, “Zaria do you know what it entails, how hard it is and how much time you have to dedicate to running your own business?” Her response was “well I watched you ,and if you can I can!” So her mother told her to create a business plan (of course it wasn't a professional one) as she just wanted to see if Zaria was serious. A few months later Zaria came back with her mini business plan. So at that point, she knew Zaria was serious and ready! So for her 14th birthday in December, her gift from her mother was her complete start up! Now here we are today! Zaria is doing great with sales, and getting to know more about time management and customer service! Zaria is an outgoing people person, friendly, loves school and is an all around loving young woman. Zaria plans on attending law school and becoming a criminal lawyer and still running her eye lash line.
    00
    BLAQK GOLD 29 [BONUS] - Zaria Paris Zaria Paris is a 14 year old African Nova Scotia entrepreneur ( Blkprenuer) and a grade 9 student at Highland Park Jr High. Zaria has worked on having her own lash line for some time now. The lash line is called Lash Game and started from zaria wearing lashes everyday, and spending a lot of money doing so. Eventually Zaria said mom I want to start my own lash line. Of course her mother’s response was, “Zaria do you know what it entails, how hard it is and how much time you have to dedicate to running your own business?” Her response was “well I watched you ,and if you can I can!” So her mother told her to create a business plan (of course it wasn't a professional one) as she just wanted to see if Zaria was serious. A few months later Zaria came back with her mini business plan. So at that point, she knew Zaria was serious and ready! So for her 14th birthday in December, her gift from her mother was her complete start up! Now here we are today! Zaria is doing great with sales, and getting to know more about time management and customer service! Zaria is an outgoing people person, friendly, loves school and is an all around loving young woman. Zaria plans on attending law school and becoming a criminal lawyer and still running her eye lash line.
  • BLAQK GOLD 28 - Niara Smith Niara T. Smith, from North Preston, Nova Scotia is a Canadian Swimmer currently attending Ross Road Junior High school. Niara started her swimming career with the Cole Harbour Hurricanes (CHH) but quickly jumped to a higher level of competition with the Dartmouth Crusaders (DCSC) in 2018. Her swim of choice is Butterfly and she currently holds DCSC clubs’ records for female 10&under short course 50-meter fly, female 10&under long course 50-meter fly & 100-meter fly as well as the female 11&12 50-meter fly. She hopes to one day represent her community and Canada at the Olympics someday. Today is also Niara’s birthday so please help us wish her a Happy Birthday as we celebrate her greatness.
    00
    BLAQK GOLD 28 - Niara Smith Niara T. Smith, from North Preston, Nova Scotia is a Canadian Swimmer currently attending Ross Road Junior High school. Niara started her swimming career with the Cole Harbour Hurricanes (CHH) but quickly jumped to a higher level of competition with the Dartmouth Crusaders (DCSC) in 2018. Her swim of choice is Butterfly and she currently holds DCSC clubs’ records for female 10&under short course 50-meter fly, female 10&under long course 50-meter fly & 100-meter fly as well as the female 11&12 50-meter fly. She hopes to one day represent her community and Canada at the Olympics someday. Today is also Niara’s birthday so please help us wish her a Happy Birthday as we celebrate her greatness.
  • BLAQK GOLD 27 - Romerace Smith Romerace is a student athlete from North Preston, Nova Scotia with a love for music and poetry and high hopes of becoming an entrepreneur one day. He is a two times provincial champion, two times defensive player of the year and the 2019 NSSAF MVP to name a few of his accolades. He is a dominator on the court/field and continues the trend of dominating in any sport he touches.
    00
    BLAQK GOLD 27 - Romerace Smith Romerace is a student athlete from North Preston, Nova Scotia with a love for music and poetry and high hopes of becoming an entrepreneur one day. He is a two times provincial champion, two times defensive player of the year and the 2019 NSSAF MVP to name a few of his accolades. He is a dominator on the court/field and continues the trend of dominating in any sport he touches.
  • BLAQK GOLD 26 - Julian Frederick Julian Frederick is the CEO and Co-Founder of the Step Stool Chef, a business dedicated to empowering kid leadership through cooking. Julian is a sought-after kid chef and entrepreneur that has been cooking since the age of 3. As he has gotten older, he uses cooking as his outlet for creativity and independence as well as to empower other kids’ confidence in the kitchen. As the CEO and Executive Kid Chef of the Step Stool Chef, he sells products and solutions that make learning how to cook fun, easy, and approachable.
    00
    BLAQK GOLD 26 - Julian Frederick Julian Frederick is the CEO and Co-Founder of the Step Stool Chef, a business dedicated to empowering kid leadership through cooking. Julian is a sought-after kid chef and entrepreneur that has been cooking since the age of 3. As he has gotten older, he uses cooking as his outlet for creativity and independence as well as to empower other kids’ confidence in the kitchen. As the CEO and Executive Kid Chef of the Step Stool Chef, he sells products and solutions that make learning how to cook fun, easy, and approachable.
  • BLAQK GOLD 25 - Makye Clayton Born and raised in the community of Uniacke Square, in Halifax NS. Makye found his passion for music in grade 9 listening to Travis Scott. To Makye, music is a gateway to tell stories or situations going on in his life. This helped him express his feelings through rapping or making beats. At 16 years old Makye started a record label with three friends called, Let Dreams Be Noticed. The label was created to show all the amazing talent in Halifax and to give artist a chance to be a part of a group with like minded people and build something bigger then themselves. As a kid, his mom told him, you can do whatever you put your mind to and you won't know until you try it. He tried everything after that. Through the years the experiences helped Makye become who he is today. A person who is confident and not afraid to get out of his comfort zone.
    00
    BLAQK GOLD 25 - Makye Clayton Born and raised in the community of Uniacke Square, in Halifax NS. Makye found his passion for music in grade 9 listening to Travis Scott. To Makye, music is a gateway to tell stories or situations going on in his life. This helped him express his feelings through rapping or making beats. At 16 years old Makye started a record label with three friends called, Let Dreams Be Noticed. The label was created to show all the amazing talent in Halifax and to give artist a chance to be a part of a group with like minded people and build something bigger then themselves. As a kid, his mom told him, you can do whatever you put your mind to and you won't know until you try it. He tried everything after that. Through the years the experiences helped Makye become who he is today. A person who is confident and not afraid to get out of his comfort zone.
  • BLAQK GOLD 24 - Jayda Thomas Jayda Thomas, 17 is from East Preston, Nova Scotia and is a sibling of three sisters. ​Jayda was a member of Let’s Grow Together East Preston for many years which gave her opportunities to volunteer for her community and take a leadership training course. ​She was awarded Athlete of the Year and the Justin Coward Award from Graham Creighton Jr. High, won many baseball championships with the only all girls team in the Dartmouth Arrows and played for Team Nova Scotia on the girls U16 team. She loves music and dance and is a member of the Studio 26 Dance Competitive Team. Dance gave Jayda the opportunity to travel to Toronto twice to attend the National Ballet School’s Take the Lead program. Jayda will be graduating from Auburn Drive High school this year, where she was a student of the first Africentric Math Cohort class, and has been awarded scholarships to attend university in the fall in pursuit of a sociology degree.
    00
    BLAQK GOLD 24 - Jayda Thomas Jayda Thomas, 17 is from East Preston, Nova Scotia and is a sibling of three sisters. ​Jayda was a member of Let’s Grow Together East Preston for many years which gave her opportunities to volunteer for her community and take a leadership training course. ​She was awarded Athlete of the Year and the Justin Coward Award from Graham Creighton Jr. High, won many baseball championships with the only all girls team in the Dartmouth Arrows and played for Team Nova Scotia on the girls U16 team. She loves music and dance and is a member of the Studio 26 Dance Competitive Team. Dance gave Jayda the opportunity to travel to Toronto twice to attend the National Ballet School’s Take the Lead program. Jayda will be graduating from Auburn Drive High school this year, where she was a student of the first Africentric Math Cohort class, and has been awarded scholarships to attend university in the fall in pursuit of a sociology degree.
  • BLAQK GOLD 23 - Adina Fraser Marsman Adina has been singing since she was very young. She plays guitar, bass guitar and several other instruments. Growing up in North Preston, Nova Scotia singing gospel; her music is informed by her passion for social justice and acceptance for all.
    00
    BLAQK GOLD 23 - Adina Fraser Marsman Adina has been singing since she was very young. She plays guitar, bass guitar and several other instruments. Growing up in North Preston, Nova Scotia singing gospel; her music is informed by her passion for social justice and acceptance for all.
  • BLAQK GOLD 22 - Elizabeth (Lizzy) Langford Crawley Born in Halifax Nova Scotia is a 13 year old grade 8 student at Caledonia Junior High School. Her roots are from East Preston. She is an 8th generation descendant of the black loyalists who settled there. Lizzy is a very interesting and intelligent young lady. A social butterfly very passionate about education, family and friendships. She aspires to pursue a law degree and a career in family law. Elizabeth also enjoys sport and started playing soccer and basketball at age 4. Currently she is playing soccer at the U14AAA level.
    00
    BLAQK GOLD 22 - Elizabeth (Lizzy) Langford Crawley Born in Halifax Nova Scotia is a 13 year old grade 8 student at Caledonia Junior High School. Her roots are from East Preston. She is an 8th generation descendant of the black loyalists who settled there. Lizzy is a very interesting and intelligent young lady. A social butterfly very passionate about education, family and friendships. She aspires to pursue a law degree and a career in family law. Elizabeth also enjoys sport and started playing soccer and basketball at age 4. Currently she is playing soccer at the U14AAA level.
  • BLAQK GOLD 21 - Keaisha Sparks “Being black is beautiful and it is something I will forever be proud of no matter what. Sometimes it is hard being black especially in media seeing many misconceptions of my people and that reflecting us. But we are nothing like that, we are strong,smart, beautiful and many other amazing things.” One of Keaisha’s biggest achievements is holding a protest against anti black racism in her school and she continues to fight against it. One of her biggest goals is to become a doctor in the future. Some of the things that she enjoys in her spare time in listening to music or playing and/or watching a good rugby game.
    00
    BLAQK GOLD 21 - Keaisha Sparks “Being black is beautiful and it is something I will forever be proud of no matter what. Sometimes it is hard being black especially in media seeing many misconceptions of my people and that reflecting us. But we are nothing like that, we are strong,smart, beautiful and many other amazing things.” One of Keaisha’s biggest achievements is holding a protest against anti black racism in her school and she continues to fight against it. One of her biggest goals is to become a doctor in the future. Some of the things that she enjoys in her spare time in listening to music or playing and/or watching a good rugby game.
  • BLAQK GOLD 20 - Yolanden Cain Yolanden is a vibrant aspiring artist passionate about music , social media , his family and his community.He is a community leader who supports his grandmother with community events (North Preston Day) in North Preston, Nova Scotia. He takes part in fundraising, is involved with church groups, and has job shadowed at R&B kitchen - a local business. Recently, he recorded a song with Keke Beats and uses youtube as a platform. He wrote and produced a song about the recent loss of his mom and is forever using his creativity as a positive outlet. Lil Landen ( stage name) loves jokes , laughing and hanging out with his big sister Jorja.
    00
    BLAQK GOLD 20 - Yolanden Cain Yolanden is a vibrant aspiring artist passionate about music , social media , his family and his community.He is a community leader who supports his grandmother with community events (North Preston Day) in North Preston, Nova Scotia. He takes part in fundraising, is involved with church groups, and has job shadowed at R&B kitchen - a local business. Recently, he recorded a song with Keke Beats and uses youtube as a platform. He wrote and produced a song about the recent loss of his mom and is forever using his creativity as a positive outlet. Lil Landen ( stage name) loves jokes , laughing and hanging out with his big sister Jorja.
  • BLAQK GOLD 19 - Jody Upshaw Jody Upshaw is a 17-year-old singing sensation from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Exposed to the art of music at a very young age, she has been singing for as long as she can remember. Jody began with the stage at Emmanuel Baptist Church and now performs on stages all across the Atlantic provinces and has opened for big names such as Joyner Lucas and Mya. Jody has been developing her voice and collaborating with some of Nova Scotia and Canada’s most experienced and talented artists and industry professionals. Though she is technically only in the beginning stages of her life and career in the R&B/Pop music world, Jody has already taken major steps on this path. Being an active member of Music Nova Scotia, SOCAN and ANSMA has kept her heavily involved in the music industry. Jody is a 2x ANSMA award winner, a 3x Nova Scotia Music Week nominee and a 5x ECMA nominee including her most recent nomination for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year in 2020 for her Classified and O’Sound produced single ‘Guilty One’. Taking her senior year at Citadel High School head-on, she is following her passion in journalism and has written for Citadel’s newspaper the Trollope Times. Jody is the current President of the KTS Executive Board which is a student-led group for the advancement and support of students of African descent at Citadel. Jody is an alumni of MEGA Basketball and Triple Threat which pushed her growth and led her to play 3 years with Basketball Nova Scotia and for her high school’s varsity team. Jody’s future plans are to attend university with a focus in public relations and law. Out of many exciting things about Jody, including her stage presence and sweet sound, the most exciting part is that she’s just getting started.
    00
    BLAQK GOLD 19 - Jody Upshaw Jody Upshaw is a 17-year-old singing sensation from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Exposed to the art of music at a very young age, she has been singing for as long as she can remember. Jody began with the stage at Emmanuel Baptist Church and now performs on stages all across the Atlantic provinces and has opened for big names such as Joyner Lucas and Mya. Jody has been developing her voice and collaborating with some of Nova Scotia and Canada’s most experienced and talented artists and industry professionals. Though she is technically only in the beginning stages of her life and career in the R&B/Pop music world, Jody has already taken major steps on this path. Being an active member of Music Nova Scotia, SOCAN and ANSMA has kept her heavily involved in the music industry. Jody is a 2x ANSMA award winner, a 3x Nova Scotia Music Week nominee and a 5x ECMA nominee including her most recent nomination for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year in 2020 for her Classified and O’Sound produced single ‘Guilty One’. Taking her senior year at Citadel High School head-on, she is following her passion in journalism and has written for Citadel’s newspaper the Trollope Times. Jody is the current President of the KTS Executive Board which is a student-led group for the advancement and support of students of African descent at Citadel. Jody is an alumni of MEGA Basketball and Triple Threat which pushed her growth and led her to play 3 years with Basketball Nova Scotia and for her high school’s varsity team. Jody’s future plans are to attend university with a focus in public relations and law. Out of many exciting things about Jody, including her stage presence and sweet sound, the most exciting part is that she’s just getting started.