9-year-old Regina juice maker has sights set on owning her own restaurant
The 4th grader was inspired to start her own business after a summer program
Saskatchewan's Bright Black Future: Na'illah Grant
While other nine-year-olds have priorities like figuring out which cartoon they want to watch after school or deciding between apple or orange juice, nine-year-old Na'illah Grant has her eyes set on more pressing matters.
Over the summer, during her time at camp, she started her own juice business. The Regina Grade 4 student was inspired by helping her dad make juice at home when she was younger.
"I was really young, I think I was probably like two or something," she said. "Me and my dad were in the kitchen and I was giving him the carrots to make the juice. I helped blend it."
Initially called True Juice, Grant decided to rename the brand after she came back from camp.
The newly branded Starbird Juice has had a slow start to the year so far, as Grant has had to focus more on school work. However, she is already planning to start taking customers again and has her sight set on a future beyond juice making.
"I am probably going to start a restaurant," she said.
Grant said she thinks juice making is a good way to start working toward having a restaurant.
"My favourite part of having the juice business is to be honest is serving it," Grant said.
The Canhari summer program that inspired Grant to start the business has done the same for many other Black children over the years by creating an event that inspired the kids to find something they love doing.
One of the program's co-ordinators, Obianuju Juliet Bushi, said having the program provides unique opportunities for Black adolescents and youth to focus on developing employment and business skills.
"Black youths and adolescents are creative, intelligent and brave," Bushi said. "They just need someone to encourage them in building their talents and although we operate with limited resources, community support from parents and our elders has been our driving force."
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of.
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