About Us
Lori Beazer
Founder and Market Manager of Canada's FIRST culturally specific farmers' market.
The Afro Caribbean Farmers' Market started in the summer of 2017 and ran a 12 week pilot in Toronto's west end North York community. At the end of the pilot, the market started to look for a permanent space, but had no luck for 3 years.
In the summer 2020 Lori had a chance street encounter with Toronto City Councillor Josh Matlow, she pitched the farmers' market idea to Councillor Matlow. And like the saying goes... the rest is history!
2023
3rd Season!
I'd like to thank the City of Toronto's Economic Development & Culture Department for helping this little market. There wouldn't be a 3rd season without you! Over the past year our market has made some great community connections and even better friendships. Since 2022 the University of Toronto's faculty of Architecture and Design has helped us re-imagine our market.
Professors Otto Ojo and Michael Piper have been cheering me on and getting their graduate students excited about the market's possibilities. Professors Otto and Michael furthered their reach and also pulled in students from the Toronto District School Board's York Memorial Highschool. We held a design competition, and the winner's design was chosen as the new Farmers' Market tote bag.
Look out for that...it's a limited edition!
I'm so honoured to have community institutions wanting to engage with this little market, and seeing its potential as the anchor and nucleus of this emerging Little Jamaica Cultural District.
There continues to be so much discussion surrounding what this cultural district means or what it looks like. This depends on us! Ultimately, if we don't create the Little Jamaica cultural prototype someone else will!
I will continue to do my part to animate and create spaces and opportunities for my community.
Welcome to our new Market Purveyors and welcome back to our returning Purveyors and thank you for continuing to take this journey with me knowing that markets are not built overnight. Wherever this market goes, and whatever opportunities are afforded to me; know that you shall be a part of it.
I will never forget!
Last, Jay Pitter, my SiStar. How many hours of telephone time have we racked up this past year?? You understand, you Overstand and you Innerstand. I see you Heart to Heart.
We're back Toronto, so join us as we continue to celebrate our Black farmers, Black food entrepreneurs and Black artisans at Canada's FIRST culturally specific farmers' market. - Lori Beazer