About

Bernadette Hamilton-Reid is an 8^th generation Afrikan Nova Scotian woman who grew up in the nation of Beechville, Nova Scotia where she still participates actively in church and community life. Bernadette also has strong lineage to the Preston Township and is proud of her ancestry. Bernadette has been married to Carl Reid, the love of her life, for over 30 years and they have two beautiful adult daughters, Alyson who is a Fitness Trainer and On-Line Wellness Coach out of Mississauga/Los Angeles and Samm who is a full-time student at Concordia University and an artist/facilitator/consultant and youth worker.

Bernadette is a very active community activist and advocate. Bernadette has been an entrepreneur for over 25 years and the owner of Sankofa Afrikan Gifts where she loves being able to supply Africentric products to the public. Bernadette recently embarked on starting a second business, Sankofa Bookkeeping and Financial Consulting, to primarily assist Blak women startup businesses with their bookkeeping needs.

Bernadette’s passion is working to improve education for children of Afrikan ancestry and continuing to promote her rich, Afrikan culture in everything she does.

Sankofa Bookkeeping was born out of the need to help Blak women combat some of the barriers that unfairly prevent them from reaching their full business potential. These barriers include but are not limited to:

Not being able access business loans, go to the bank for financing or talk to different funders to help finance their business
Not being able to put together financial statements for grant proposals

Sankofa Bookkeeping stands ready to equip Blak women with the tools to access funding, establish financial order, and unleash their business potential

Sankofa Bookkeeping gives Blak women business owners a streamlined process where their financial journey begins with a few clicks, leaving them free to focus on scaling their business and embracing life’s pleasures. Sankofa Bookkeeping will be helping them have their financials in order to chat with funders and write that grant proposal – with confidence. ultimately making financial success easier – allowing them more time to spend with their family while scaling their business.

Sankofa Bookkeeping wants to inspire small to medium sized Blak women entrepreneurs to turn their side-hustle into a bustle and run businesses that can put profits in their pockets and have more time to wine and dine.

Sankofa Bookkeeping envisions breaking generational cycles of economic dependency, fostering prosperity and creating lasting legacies.

Sankofa Bookkeeping envisions transforming Blak women entrepreneurs, enabling them to break free from the systems constraints, paving the way for independence, pride, and prosperity.

Sankofa Bookkeeping has cultivated partnerships with and is listed as a preferred bookkeeping consultant with esteemed organizations such as, the Blak Business Initiative (BBI), the Blak Business and Professional Association (BBPA), the Canadian Blak Chamber of Commerce (CBCC), the Afrikan Nova Scotian Directory (ANSD) Blk Women in Excellence (BWIE) and the Tribe Network who with their grand total have over thousands of clients. Sankofa Bookkeeping will achieve its goals of supporting Blak women entrepreneurs to thrive and strive.

Bernadette Hamilton-Reid is Sankofa Bookkeeping’s founder. Hamilton-Reid draws on over a decade as an H & R Block Tax Professional, over 25 years of volunteering with the Canada Revenue Agency with their Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP), which supports equity seeking communities by completing their taxes for free. Hamilton-Reid is uniquely poised to guide Sankofa Bookkeeping’s journey. Hamilton-Reid is a QuickBooks Pro Advisor – Level 2.

Sankofa Bookkeeping beckons a new era where Blak women entrepreneurs not only see themselves as business owners but also as architects of their destiny.