Cultural Diversity Market with an Afrocentric focus

BY: MICHAEL THOMAS

Marva Squires and Christilene Elie made Sunday February 24^th, 2019 a day like no other and that’s because the Legion Hall at 1133 Queen Street East in Brampton was overflowing with cultural vendors and patrons of all sorts. Squires told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper “for this event we even had to turn some vendors away.”

The Cultural Diversity Market with an Afrocentric focus had almost any and everything one could imagine. The products on sale ranged from hair oils, body butter, head wraps, jewellery, natural pet supplies, herbal drinks to massage oils, customised clothing, and makeup all geared to both sexes and much more.

The vendors were 99.9% women self-made entrepreneurs who started their own business or teamed up with other likeminded ladies to sell and showcase their craft, vendors like Christine Spence and Diane MC Bean of DCD Approach a fashion style firm located in Toronto that does hair, makeup, and hairstyling. They also have an online boutique that specializes in the world of fashion.

Spence told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper “Our motto is you dream it and we create and design it, men’s and women’s wear plus jewellery.”

Aminah Hughes was one of the artist/designers that were on hand to showcase her handmade jewellery and metal bookmark business called Etat XXV. Hughes said she likes to keep her designs subtle instead of flashy and in your face. “My mother actually taught me how to make a few different types of jewellery items.”, Hughes said.

Designer Laiken Williams, a digital artist and graphic creator of Laiken Designz was also present displaying her work.

Even though the day was dominated by women entrepreneurs, Clayton Ffolkes aka Sketch a portrait artist represented the men, Ffolkes said: “I have been drawing ever since I could hold a pencil. I do everything art related, paintings, tattoos graphic designs, business cards, and flyers.”

Two women who founded and promoted the event, Elie and Squires were also vendors. Elie of Je’Nor, natural skin and hair products and Squires of Afrotique Satin Bonnet. Debbie Ervine an independent Mary Kay beauty consultant was also there.

The evening also featured spoken word entertainers and singers soca and r.eggae artist plus Michelle Jodhan (Female) Hip-Hop Dancer and Lavinia Latham (Talking about Natural Hair).

Also there were spoken word artist Jjthedreame, rSpoken, word artist and author, GL Glowz, spoken word artist poetic emcee, rap artist, and hip-hop dancer Nappz MC, reggae music artist Da Coach, KYSO Quartet (Steele Pan Players), soca artist St.Ver-see-tyle, Youth Choir Wings of Passion, and singer Dajanae Trowers.

The pop-up market event featured mainly small business owners and entrepreneurs and this is the first year it’s taking place for Black History Month but they have done one before, Squires said “we have always been going to these events in Scarborough, Toronto and Ajax so we decided to bring it to Brampton because Brampton does not have these types of event.” Squires and Elie assured Toronto Caribbean Newspaper that this will be an annual event that features food and entertainment ‘This is just the tip of the iceberg. The public can expect big things from us in the near future.” Squires said.

The mighty duo as they would like to be called told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper that they would be hosting another event of this kind in the near future.

Elie and Squires met almost twenty years ago and between them, they share about seven years of experience in the business and would like to start educating the struggling entrepreneurs of Brampton on how to move and shake as they put it.

Squires said ‘There are so many entrepreneurs out there and most of them are women who want to build their own business and this is why we are doing this.”