MONTREAL -- An 8-year old entrepreneur from Pierrefonds is using her lockdown time wisely.

Adriana Jackson usually spends weekends with her maternal or paternal grandparents learning to cook, sew and craft. With confinement restrictions, those visits are on hold, but Adriana is making the most out of the lessons they already taught her. She's making handmade crafts for a younger clientele and has been selling them at school and through her online boutique.

Adriana’s family is happy to help this young designer learn and grow herself and her business. Both sets of grandparents help by sending craft supplies, like beads for personalized bracelets with positive messages.

“Her grandma Maureen lives in Plattsburgh and my mom Winona lives in (Dollard-de-Ormeaux), so not too far from us," said Adriana’s mother, Talia D”Costa.

It was the encouragement and lessons from the two grandmothers that inspired Adriana to act on her dreams of being a designer. Her online boutique, Winnie & Moe, carries the names of both women.

Adriana’s third-grade teacher at St-Charles Elementary School lets her present her new projects in class, such as a t-shirt with the slogan “My VP looks like me.”

"My idol is Kamala Harris,” Adriana explained.

Since Adriana has American and Canadian heritage, she is a proud dual citizen who follows headlines in both countries. Ideas inspired by both sides of the border pop up in her art.

“I wanted to support Black Lives Matter, so my mom and dad took me to peaceful protests and I started my company to help the Black community by donating some money. After I did that, I felt very proud and happy because you need to support," she said.

With her family, Adriana decided to donate to The West Island Black Community Association, which offers programs for better community engagement and to end racism.

“We thought giving support and donating within our community was the best way to help," said Talia.

To Adriana, her support of social causes means that every purchase of a Winnie & Moe multi-colour hair bow ends up giving twice as much: to a cause and to the person who buys it. 

“I want to make sure when they get it, they feel happy and when they try on the scrunchie or the bow it makes them happy” she said.

Adriana's grandparents parents have already had their first doses of COVID-19 vaccines and hopefully by July, after they receive their second injections, her weekend visits can resume. In the meantime, Adriana is already planning bigger and better projects, and brighter days when they can all be together again.