Kerin John

Kerin John is the founder and CEO of Black Owned Toronto, a platform that aims to highlight and support Black-owned businesses in the city. In 2020, Kerin had set a goal to support more Black-owned businesses, but found it difficult to identify which businesses truly qualified. In May of that year, she created an Instagram account, @blackowned.to, which served as an online directory for Black owned businesses. In response to the growing interest, Kerin created a website and eventually opened two brick-and-mortar Black Owned Toronto locations in Toronto’s major shopping malls, the Eaton Centre and Scarborough Town Centre. She has big plans for the future, including moving to heavy foot-traffic malls and starting new initiatives, including her own charity to support youth through business mentorship. In 2022, Kerin was recognized as a Top 25 Women of Influence by the annual Women of Influence Awards.