Contribution (2023-2026)
$750,000
Akoma Holdings, rooted in the historic African Nova Scotian communities of Lake Loon/Cherry Brook, North Preston, and East Preston, is transforming 320 acres of land into an Africentric hub for economic and social development. As the second oldest African Nova Scotian organization in the province, Akoma continues to address the challenges of systemic racism, legal segregation and financial discrimination by creating spaces that empower and uplift the community.
“With an inclusive ‘for the community, by the community’ approach, Akoma has developed a property plan through public consultation, ensuring all investments on the land directly benefit the community,” explains Veronica Marsman, Property Manager at Akoma. Notably, Akoma recently completed the development of Kinney Place, an inclusive and accessible gathering space and Black Business Hub. Adds Marsman: “Kinney Place offers low-cost office space to Black-led, Black-serving and Black-run organizations and includes a Black-owned café, hair salon, nonprofits and more.”
In its first year of partnership with the McConnell Foundation, Akoma began pre-development work for a second business hub to meet growing demand. Using McConnell’s funding as a catalyst, Akoma secured additional funding from the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund. “Key milestones on this project so far include designing the building, clearing land, and meeting with engineers, planners, and potential tenants,” shares Marsman.
“Beyond providing funding, McConnell’s involvement has added credibility and momentum to Akoma’s work, encouraging other funders to take notice. As Akoma continues to expand its initiatives, this collaboration lays a strong foundation for future growth and sustained impact,” says Marsman.
Thank you to Akoma Holdings for the images used on this page and other pages throughout this report.