About The Study

The Ase Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities is proud to lead the first comprehensive research study of its kind in Canada, earnestly contributing to a new emerging area of academic knowledge at the intersection of Blackness and disability.

Using a “For us, by us” approach, this critical research will center and amplify the voices of critical members of the Halton-Hamilton community including Black youth diverse learners; parents/caregivers; educators; and Black- and disability-serving community organizations.

Untapped Black Talent: Examining the Systemic Gaps, Structural Barriers, and Lived Experiences of Black Entrepreneurs with Disabilities is a 3-year community-based research project examining the systemic gaps, structural barriers, and the lived experiences of Black-disabled entrepreneurs and small business owners in Canada.

Led by Black-disabled researchers and subject experts, the project will highlight the many untapped talents and professional skills that embody Black people with disabilities, while they navigate their disabilities, costly accommodations, and societal stigmas of ableism, sexism, and anti-Black racism as entrepreneurs.

This project is a collaboration with the Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub at Carleton University.

Research Overview

This research project is a 3-year Canada-wide community-based study that uses a mixed methodology and Black feminist disability framework to showcase the amazing untapped talents and bring into the open systemic barriers that impede the full participation and success of Black disabled-owned business and social enterprise pursuits.

Year 1: Conduct a comprehensive literature review, Canada-wide environmental audit and investigate the current research and data available to identify the knowledge gap in research and policy, systemic and systems gaps in intersectional data collection, and access to business support. This will inform year two of the research project’s framework, scope, and methodology. ( August 2023- April 2024)

Year 2: Conduct a mixed methods research project examining the lived experiences of Black disabled entrepreneurs across Canada and their experiences throughout the business development, operations, funding, and scaling up processes. (April 2024 - March 31. 2025)

Year 3: A continuation of the mixed methods research project by presenting preliminary findings to participants and member checking process, completing the final analysis, implementing a knowledge mobilization strategy, publishing research findings, and presenting the paper at conferences and establishing future research, policy, and community-based initiatives, led by BPwD as researchers.( April 2025 - March 31, 2026)

Project Outcomes

By truly embracing the “For us, by us” and UN’s “Nothing about us, without us” principles, Black disabled researchers and entrepreneurs, this research project will critical work will:

Identify the unique experiences, barriers, and challenges faced by Black entrepreneurs with disabilities (BPwD) navigating disabilities, costly accommodations, accessibility literacy, and oppression at the intersection of anti-Black racism, ableism, and gender-based discrimination

Develop a comprehensive engagement strategy and systems map that contributes to business success and economic growth by addressing structural and behavioural barriers

Establish a new public data set that benchmarks future work, informs policy and funding initiatives, and provides leadership to this emerging academic and knowledge area of study

Inform transformative network, opportunities, and benefits for BPwDentrepreneurs and the Black community to showcase their extraordinary qualifications, skills, and talents and experience talents

Scale up BPwD’s businesses and profit generation, by creating access to entrepreneurship and accessibility resources

Foster collaboration between Black researchers and entrepreneurs to gather intersectional data, increased accessibility literacy, and design a practical strategy for integrating accessible and inclusive design within the Black community and across business and global sectors