connect
create
cultivate
NOIR Professionals is a startup created to bring both aspiring and young Black professionals together for career growth and business support. We’re redefining the professional status quo and helping to drive more Black professionals into industries and positions where Black people are often underrepresented. There are many talented and educated people in the Black community, and our purpose is to help you further advance your skills, access resources that often feel out of reach, and build your confidence so you can land your dream job or start building your own empire. Opportunities to network with other aspiring Black professionals and current leaders of industry is one of the driving forces behind our organization. We believe there’s strength in numbers and by working together, we can redefine what’s possible! NOIR Professionals is the first startup of its kind in Canada. For far too long we’ve seen a need for a space where young Black professionals can gain support and mentorship from people who look like them, and people who have walked in their shoes. Our mission is to serve as a catalyst for change in how Canada’s young Black community values their potential and navigates the professional world. We’re Connecting young Black professionals to industry, Creating opportunities for growth, and Cultivating a community designed to set you up for success. Joining NOIR Professionals gains you immediate access to resources, community and a variety of other perks. Membership is free and only a few clicks away. Ready to jumpstart your career and grow in your field?
Our Founders
Hi! We’re Oyíndàmólá Áláká and Akosua Bonsu - the founders behind NOIR Professionals. In 2018 we existed as the Young Black Professionals’ Network, and have since rebranded and relaunched as NOIR Professionals to better serve our community. We have a passion for supporting Black professionals and are on a mission to help you realize you deserve a seat at the table in the boardroom, your department, your desired field, or in the world of entrepreneurship. Together we’re striving for equal opportunities and aim to instill the knowledge and confidence our members need to thrive. We know what it’s like to feel as though certain opportunities are out of reach. Growing up we wish we had a community we could turn to for strategic guidance, hands-on support and dedication to our success. We persevered, but we want to provide you with more than what we had. We’re here for you every step of the way, and look forward to welcoming you to NOIR Professionals
Oyíndàmólá Áláká
Oyíndàmólá Áláká is a Nigerian-born award winning community organizer, project manager and event planner. She holds a B.A (Adv.) in Women and Gender Studies from the University of Manitoba and her research has focused on gender, media and pop culture. She is the recipient of the Manitoba Human Rights Commission – Sybil Shack Youth Award (2019) and the Black History Month Manitoba Youth Achievement Award (2020). She is also a sought-after political campaign strategist and has worked on historical campaigns both at the municipal and provincial levels of the Manitoban government. In 2020, Oyíndàmólá co-founded NOIR Professionals, a startup with the goal of connecting, creating and cultivating opportunities for Black professionals in Canada.
akosua bonsu
A first-generation Canadian born to parents from Ghana, Akosua Tiwaah Bonsu has called Winnipeg, MB home all her life. A policy and program analyst with the Government of Manitoba, her interest in political economy was sparked when she was selected from several hundred applicants to represent Canada on an international trade mission to southeast Asia – the only Black person of the 30 people picked. Shocked – but not surprised – by this, her extracurricular activities now revolve around empowering Black youth to reach their full potential.
Akosua holds a Bachelor of Arts (Adv.) in Global Political Economy. Her ambition and leadership have won her several awards, including YMCA-YWCA Young Woman of Distinction, University of Manitoba Emerging Leader, CBC Manitoba Future 40 Under 40, and one of 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women for 2020. She remains unstoppable in increasing representation of Black people in political and economic spheres.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Akosua has earned her level 1 sailing certification, learned to play violin, and has visited four of the world wonders!
