Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

My inspiration comes from my healing journey. As a child I lived with paralysis and chronic pain until the women who raised me used the healing power of plants to restore my health. Today my daughter is my standard—if she can’t eat it, I won’t cook it. As a St. Lucian immigrant and founder of Nova Scotia’s first Black-owned vegan restaurant, I use food as a pathway to healing to inspire healthier communities, one nutrient-dense meal at a time.

How do you stay motivated?

I stay motivated because I know this work can change lives. When someone tastes my food and realizes healthy eating can still be joyful, flavorful, and healing, it reminds me why I started. Volunteering on community health boards also allows me to be part of real conversations about improving health outcomes. Knowing that every meal and every conversation can help move our community toward better health keeps me committed to this mission.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I will invest the $25,000 to expand Café Caye Mangé as a plant-based center of influence in Nova Scotia. I will grow our nutrient-dense food products line and expand community education through youth cooking classes and wellness workshops. I intend to make healing, plant-based food more accessible while empowering communities to rethink their relationship with food, nutrition, and long-term health. One nutrient-dense, amazing meal at a time.