BlackNorth Initiative to Host Excellence Gala Marking Five Years of Impact

TORONTO, Sept. 12, 2025 /CNW/ - BlackNorth Initiative (BNI) will host its Excellence Gala on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at the Fairmont Royal York. The event will gather leaders from business, government, and community to celebrate Black excellence and five years of progress in addressing systemic anti-Black racism in Canada.

The Gala will be co-hosted by Kardinal Offishall, multi-platinum recording artist, and Justice Donald McLeod, jurist and community leader. Performances include Deborah Cox, Grammy-nominated singer and actress, and Jully Black, Canada's Queen of R&B.

Guests include:

• The Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
• The Honourable Jean Augustine
• Senators Rosemary Moodie and Tony Ince
• The Honourable Dr. F. Wayne Adams
• His Excellency Gline Arley Clarke, High Commissioner of Barbados to Canada
• The Honourable Arielle Kayabaga, Member of Parliament
• Deputy Mayor Amber Morley, City of Toronto
• Wes Hall, Founder and Chairman of BlackNorth Initiative

"This Gala is not just a celebration—it is a declaration that Black excellence is shaping Canada's present and future," says Dahabo Ahmed-Omer, Chief Executive Officer of the BlackNorth Initiative. "Over the past five years, we have witnessed extraordinary progress driven by resilience, innovation, and collective commitment. But our work does not end here. The progress of the past five years must become a permanent foundation—one that dismantles barriers, transforms systems, and ensures lasting opportunity for generations to come."

Event Details
Date: Saturday, September 13, 2025
Time: 6 PM EST
Venue: Fairmont Royal York, Toronto
Attire: Formal

BlackNorth Initiative
BlackNorth Initiative is on a mission to close the gaps created by systemic anti-Black racism for Black Canadians. We envision a Canada where systemic anti-Black racism no longer exists. For more information, visit: https://blacknorth.ca and follow us on social media @blacknorthca.

SOURCE BlackNorth Initiative

Media Inquiries: Shelton Mpala, Associate Director of Strategic Communications, BlackNorth Initiative, [email protected]