J’can entrepreneur honoured at Emancipation Day event in Toronto

TORONTO, Canada:

For nearly five decades, Jamaica-born entrepreneur Yvonne Grant has provided Toronto’s Caribbean community with a taste of home through Caribbean Corner, the black-owned grocery store she established in 1977.

On July 31, Grant was recognised for that contribution when she was selected as the symbolic conductor of the 13th annual Emancipation Day Underground Freedom Train Ride, an event commemorating the struggle for freedom and the legacy of the Underground Railroad.

Organised by Blackhurst Cultural Centre in partnership with the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and worker and community organisations, the annual event honours a committed community worker by placing them in the symbolic role once occupied by American abolitionist and social activist Harriet Tubman.

Tubman served as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, the secret network of routes, safe houses and abolitionists that helped enslaved African Americans escape to free states and Canada.

This year’s event, held under the theme ‘Food and Freedom’, placed a special focus on Black farming in Ontario and the contributions of Black and Caribbean farmers and farm workers.

Grant was welcomed by Aina-Nia Ayo’dele, chair of the board of directors of Blackhurst Cultural Centre, who described her as “an amazing human being who has been feeding families in Toronto for many years”.

Grant, who is now unable to operate the business because of health-related limitations, said the support of Toronto’s Black diaspora had been critical to Caribbean Corner’s longevity.

“I would like to thank the diaspora of Black people in Toronto, because without them we could not continue this operation for 49 years. Next year will be 50 years since we opened the store,” she said.

She also thanked the store’s workers, particularly Michael, her daughter, who now operates the business, as well as customers and suppliers.

The organisers described Grant as an “unsung community leader” whose entrepreneurial journey has enabled Caribbean Corner to survive and thrive amid changes in Toronto’s retail and cultural landscape.

They said she had built more than a grocery store, creating “a welcoming gathering place where neighbours connect and familiar faces are always found”.

“Throughout the years, Yvonne has remained committed to ensuring her community has access to culturally important foods. Her legacy is one of resilience, service, and community,” they said.

Caribbean Corner was originally located at 67 Kensington Avenue before moving to 171 Baldwin Street. Since its establishment, the store has served as a hub for Caribbean food and culture, providing migrants with familiar products while introducing other Canadians to the region’s cuisine.

Grant was presented with the MACPRI Sankofa Bird Award, a hand-carved wooden recognition piece created by Mother Africa’s Children Photographic Reproductions International (MACPRI). The organisation was founded by Jamaican Adisa S. Oji, also known as ‘Brother Oji’, who lives in Ghana.

The award, part of MACPRI’s ‘Made in Africa’ collection, celebrates community leadership and Black excellence while supporting West African artisans.

When Grant opened Caribbean Corner in the 1970s, Toronto had relatively few Caribbean supermarkets. Other businesses serving the community included Joyce’s West Indies Food, near Bathurst and Bloor streets, Gus’ Tropical Foods on Eglinton West, and Spence’s West Indian Bakery, Restaurant and Food Store.

The emergence of these businesses coincided with the growth of Little Jamaica along Eglinton Avenue West, which became an important economic and cultural centre for Black and Caribbean immigrants.

On July 31, approximately 600 people gathered at Transit Park at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre subway station before travelling together by train to Union Station. After midnight, participants welcomed August 1, Emancipation Day, marking the anniversary of the Slavery Abolition Act coming into effect in 1834.

The subway journey featured poetry, music, storytelling and reflection, while participants were encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations for local food banks.

“This was more than a train ride; it was an opportunity to reflect on our shared history, honour the journey to freedom, and welcome Emancipation Day together,” the organisers said.

editorial@gleanerjm.com