News Summary

The Nod, a community-based digital organization, has launched the Real Black Friday tour to promote and support Black-owned businesses across Canada. Starting in Edmonton, the 10-city tour aims to generate awareness of The Nod and its app, which facilitates intentional spending within the Black community to stimulate economic growth. The event featured 32 majority Black-owned businesses offering products and services through themed boxes available on The Nod’s app. Co-founders Chinaemerem Ogbonna and Ikenna Onuorah emphasize the importance of tangible community engagement, aiming to encourage $100 million in spending across 500 Black-owned Canadian businesses over four years. The Nod Foundation will receive one percent of this spending to formalize and support Black enterprises. The tour aligns with city efforts like Edmonton’s Migrant Action Plan to reduce systemic barriers and enhance economic participation. Future tour stops include Calgary, Vancouver, and Quebec.