A Space Built From Scratch
For a lot of second-generation Caribbean Canadians, finding a community that reflects both their heritage and their everyday life in Canada isn't always easy. That's the gap Lorenzo Evans and Tyrell MacLennan set out to fill when they started Wi Deh'Ya in St. Catharines, Ontario. What began as a small, personal project has since grown into a series of events pulling in thousands of attendees.
Two Friends, One Idea
Evans and MacLennan, both based in St. Catharines, created Wi Deh'Ya specifically with second-generation Caribbean Canadians in mind — people who grew up straddling two identities, often without a dedicated space to celebrate both at once. Rather than waiting for that kind of community to appear on its own, the pair decided to build it themselves, starting close to home in the Niagara region.
From Local Gathering to Regional Draw
What's notable about Wi Deh'Ya's growth is how far its reach now extends. Events tied to the initiative have drawn crowds from across Ontario, including from Toronto, turning a hometown project into a regional touchstone for Caribbean culture and community. That kind of organic growth speaks to a real hunger for spaces like this one — places where Caribbean-Canadian identity isn't an afterthought but the whole point.
Why It Resonates
Second-generation Caribbean Canadians often describe feeling caught between cultures: not fully connected to the Caribbean nations their families come from, but also not always seeing themselves reflected in mainstream Canadian spaces. Wi Deh'Ya's approach — building events specifically for that in-between generation — seems to be striking a chord, which helps explain why thousands are now showing up.
A Model Worth Watching
Stories like this one out of St. Catharines are a reminder that some of the most meaningful community-building in Ontario isn't happening in the country's biggest cities — it's happening in smaller communities where a couple of friends decide to fill a gap themselves. As Wi Deh'Ya continues to grow, it's likely to keep drawing attention as an example of grassroots culture-building done right.
Source: CBC News
