Black History Month is a time to honour legacy. In Ottawa, it was also a time to recognize leadership in motion.

On February 3, Chevon Riley joined Members of Parliament Tatiana Auguste and Michael Coteau, alongside Rechie Valdez, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State, for a national roundtable discussion on Black entrepreneurship.

The conversation centered on access to capital, procurement reform, and scaling Black-owned businesses within Canada’s economic framework. With more than 24,000 Black entrepreneurs supported through the Black Entrepreneurship Program, the tone was forward-looking — focused not on barriers alone, but on infrastructure and growth.

Riley entered the room not as a spectator of policy, but as the founder of NORM — a Toronto-born, chemist-led skincare company built on scientific integrity and disciplined execution — representing what sustainable Black entrepreneurship looks like in practice.

On the morning of February 4, Riley gathered at the Senate of Canada for the FACE reception, held in collaboration with Amina Gerba and the African-Canadian Senate Group. There, Senators, innovators, and founders discussed the future of Canada’s economic architecture.

Tiffany Callender, CEO of FACE, joined community leaders and visionaries to mark Black History Month and honour Black contributions shaping Canada’s future economy. The presence of leaders like Senator Gerba and Callender underscored the strength and coordination of Canada’s Black economic leadership — not symbolic, but strategic.

Later that evening, Riley attended the Government of Canada’s official 30th anniversary celebration of Black History Month, hosted by Marc Miller. Under the theme “30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations — From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries,” the celebration recognized the contributions of Black Canadians across sectors. The Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, was also in attendance — reinforcing the national significance of the moment.

As Canada honoured three decades of recognizing Black history, NORM honoured its founder.

Chevon Riley’s presence in those rooms reflected more than personal achievement. It reflected a generation of Black entrepreneurs building scalable companies, creating jobs, and strengthening Canada’s economy in real time.

Black History Month celebrates nation builders.

Through Chevon Riley, NORM is proud to celebrate one of its own.