BCBusiness

33 B C B U S I N E S S . C A M AY 2 0 24 Ya s m i n A b r a h a m : N a t a s h a D e M a r c h i K ambo Energy Group is a second- generation business, but taking over for her father wasn't always Yas- min Abraham's plan. She started her post-secondary education in molecular biology, then worked for a couple of tech startups before getting her MBA. Even when her dad, Areef Abraham, offered her some work at Kambo, she didn't seriously consider a career in the family business. "I was like, 'Okay Dad, I'll help you and then I'll go get a real job,'" she recalls with a laugh. But then: light-bulb moment. "I learned my dad was amazing," says Abraham. Based in Vancouver, Kambo Energy Group works to address equity gaps in the climate sector (think multi- lingual education for energy efficiency at home, improving community housing for Indigenous nations and subsidizing energy retrofits for low-income house- holds). "I fell in love with the work, with creating a service that has a real social good attached to it," she explains. "It's not only about supporting the climate, but also about righting some of the historic wrongs of our society." Since Abraham and her brother Karim took the reins in 2018 (she's president, he's CEO), the company has expanded into Alberta and Washington, and Kambo's programming will soon be available in Saskatchewan and Toronto. Climate programming is more accessible than ever for immigrant, BIPOC and underserved communities. "Now, I feel so grateful that this is my life's work," says Abraham. "I don't think I could ever do anything else."–A.H. YASMIN ABRAHAM PRESIDENT, KAMBO ENERGY GROUP IF you ask Jennifer Smith what made her fall in love with storytelling, she'll tell you about purchasing her first clock radio at the age of 10. "This thing exuded conversation, curiosity, entertainment... I was allured so heavily by that," she remembers. (Oh, and she bought it with the cash she earned from her paper route delivering the Globe and Mail—those media-supporting roots go deep.) Smith's been in the industry for 30 years now, and her impressive resume covers radio, television, print and digital media. She launched CBC Radio 2, the Beat 94.5FM and Roundhouse Radio 98.3FM. She founded OutTV (the world's first LGBTQ+ TV channel), a network that continues to serve top-notch media to the queer community and beyond. "I started OutTV to provide support for everybody—not just the gay commu- nity, but our aunts, mothers, grandfa- thers," she shares. With that same passion for spotlighting underrepresented communi- ties, Smith launched Vancouver-based Everything Podcasts in 2019. "In podcasting, people tend to go deeper in their stories," she says. The company partners with local nonprofits and industry giants (ever heard of Pattison Media?) to produce engaging, accessible series, from the five-part Indigenous Voices of Vancouver Island to podcasts focusing on inequality politics, blood clot survivors and cannabis legalization. "It's so important to shine a light on these incredible voices," says Smith. "We have more work to do, but we've started— and people are listening."–A.H. JENNIFER SMITH PRESIDENT AND CEO, EVERYTHING PODCASTS Taking action comes naturally to her—the Vancouver-based urban planner's passion for problem-solving and serving her community fuelled her establishment of the Hogan's Alley Land Trust (which has since merged with the Hogan's Alley Memorial Project to become the Hogan's Alley Society) and the Cheeky Proletariat Gallery (a small but bold Gastown gallery that's hosted over 60 emerging artists). In 2020, she set out to tackle an issue that was particularly close to her heart: a lack of representation in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, applied arts and math). It was searching for extracurricular activities for her daughter that initially sparked Ogundele's interest in creating a new space for youth. "She would often be the only Black girl—or the only girl—in the room," Ogundele recalls. "I wanted to create a space where she was reflected in the leadership and her strengths were acknowl- edged." So she founded Ethós Lab, a nonprofit STEAM academy for teens. "It's not necessarily about learning STEAM," explains the founder. "It's really about understand- ing the context and problems that are occurring in the world, and then using STEAM to solve them." For example, Ethós Lab's Mixed Reality camp is focused on "hacking housing affordability"; par- ticipants build their own imagined city using Unity (a game development tool). "We're really focusing on emerging technologies," says Ogundele—arti- ficial intelligence, 3D modelling and virtual and augmented reality are all tools available to Ethós Lab participants. "We can impact the medium- to long-term future if we start acting now... we can ensure that this technology is reflective of a human- ity that we're centred in," she explains. Last year, Ethós Lab impacted over 500 youth directly through programs, and another 500 or so through school assemblies and community events. The nonprofit centres Black youth, but welcomes teens of all backgrounds. "We really are doing something different and transformative for every young person," says Ogundele, "not just in the proj- ects that they are creating, but in their confidence, courage and sense of belonging." And while the founder loves to see the program's impact on local youth, some of the most rewarding aspects of her work happen without her. "I'll be at home, and my daughter will say to me, 'Is Ethós Lab open?'—I'll say yes, and she puts on her shoes and goes," she says. "That's the best part of the work: my daughter feels safe to go and find connection."–A.H. R U N N E R S - U P

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