Asha Lapps, left, and Fatim Sylla, co-leaders of Black Queens of Durham Region. ‘The core of what we do is relationship building, and that’s the magic,’ says Ms. Lapps.Supplied
In this series, Reimagining Wealth, we explore the evolving definition of wealth in today’s world. We meet Canadians who are thinking beyond traditional measures of success to maximize happiness and well-being and to build a fulfilling life.
Just before Christmas last year, thousands of people descended on Audley Community Centre in Ajax, Ont., for the Black Queens of Durham (BQoD) Region’s two-day annual Holiday Pop-Up Market. From clothing, children’s books, jewellery and hair care products to housewares direct from Africa, shoppers were searching for the perfect gift from Black-owned businesses across the Greater Toronto Area.
Visitors even got to tell Kente Claus (an Afrocentric version of Santa Claus) what they wanted for Christmas.
For Asha Lapps, the founder of BQoD, circulating dollars within Durham’s Black community is important, but building strong relationships is key to making that happen.
“The core of what we do is relationship building, and that’s the magic,” says Ms. Lapps, who founded Black Queens of Durham Region. “It’s the magic to everything else that we do because people in the group have built those relationships … that’s why they’re successful.”
Community-building in response to racial injustice
Ms. Lapps got the idea to start the group in August 2017 during the first wave of racial injustices being widely shared on social media. The police killings of unarmed Black people made her want to do something.
“I felt the anger inside, and I was arguing with people on social media, which is futile. I said, okay, I need to redirect that energy, because if it’s going to stay inside, I’m going to implode,” she explains. Ms. Lapps posted on the Black Toronto Facebook group, asking if there were other Black women in Durham who wanted to connect.
Twenty-four hours later, more than 50 women expressed interest. That led to the creation of Black Queens of Durham Region. Fatim Sylla was one of the women who was interested in participating. Now, she and Ms. Lapps co-lead the group. As of February 2025, more than 11,000 engaged members are part of the BQoD online community (and growing).
For Ms. Sylla, who is originally from France, BQoD has been a way to find community. She and her family settled in Durham Region in 2011.
“I never thought I would live in Ajax. I really didn’t know anybody. I didn’t even know there were Black people here,” she says. She launched an African fashion brand, Sirani’s Fashion, and saw the group as an opportunity not just to build relationships but also to introduce her business to a new audience. “I thought, okay, this is going to be a community of Black women, so that could be an opportunity for me not only to meet people but also to introduce my brand to these people.”
BQoD doesn’t only support business but emphasizes the importance of education in all aspects of life, says Ms. Sylla. Knowledge-sharing within the community is essential to ensuring long-term success and resilience. “We need to continue to educate – from a business perspective, from a financial perspective, from a day-to-day perspective, from a parents’ perspective, from lifestyle to health,” she says.
‘If you want to go far, go together’
Beyond business and education, there is another element that fuels community wealth: sisterhood, says Dr. Renée Rawlins, the immediate past president of the Alpha Alpha Delta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority, Inc. She was the chartering president of Canada’s first AKA chapter, now located in Windsor, Ont.
Many Canadians don’t know much about Greek life and know even less about Black Greek life. AKA was founded at Washington, D.C.’s Howard University – a historically Black university – in 1908. It is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African American college-educated women. It is the sorority of Kamala Harris, the first Black and Asian Vice-President of the United States.
For many of the 18 members of the Toronto chapter, sorority life is about two things: building relationships with other Black women and engaging in meaningful community service, says Dr. Rawlins. The sisterhood they share is more than camaraderie – it’s a lifelong network of support, friendship and shared purpose. You don’t need to be part of sorority to volunteer but doing it with your sisters makes it more fulfilling, she explains.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,” says Dr. Rawlins, quoting an African proverb. “And it’s that idea, right? The impact is greater. The satisfaction is greater if you’re doing it with your sorors. Those relationships are priceless.”
The ladies of AKA run several community service projects to support Black women, girls and families including Taking Care of Our Roots, an initiative to collect hair care products specifically for Black hair, Her Life, a mentorship program for Black girls in Grade 8, and their Youth Leadership Institute for youth aged 11 to 13.
“We have some members who, every other weekend, they’re doing something for the sorority, and you think to yourself, ‘Oh, my goodness, you need a break,’” says Dr. Rawlins. “They don’t want the break because doing it is fun – and there’s a lot of value in it. And there’s something really settling, calming, I guess, about that, knowing that you have your people, knowing you have people you can call, knowing that there are other people who value the same things that you do.”
A space where Black women feel protected
Like AKA, sisterhood and community are significant parts of BQoD, creating spaces where Black women feel comfortable and protected.
“We do exist everywhere anyway,” says Ms. Sylla, “but this is a place where you can come, exhale, relax, be yourself, have a laugh, find out some information, be vulnerable and not have to be by yourself.”
The BQoD Facebook page is busy with event updates, Black business posts and job openings, along with recommendations of handypeople, electricians and makeup artists. Members also share parenting and relationship advice. They celebrate wins and grieve losses together.
“It was important to me to create that space because there’s such richness in relationships and richness in connections. I believe that you can make new ones,” says Ms. Lapps. “There’s the myth that as you get older, it’s harder to make new friends – maybe. But to create a space that can encourage that is very important.”
