Join us for Niagara College’s Winter Pop-up Market on February 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Applied Health Foyer at the Welland Campus.
The market will showcase Black-owned businesses from across the region alongside NC student entrepreneurs and the Niagara College Black Student Association (BSA), offering a space on campus to celebrate creativity, entrepreneurship, and community.
Hosted by Black Owned 905 in partnership with NC’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) team, Niagara College Student Administrative Council (NCSAC) and Community Relations and Events, this event celebrates Black-owned businesses while giving local entrepreneurs and students a space to showcase their expertise and talent
About Black Owned 905:
Founded by Natasha Bell, Black Owned 905 supports and promotes Black-owned businesses through local in-person and virtual markets, fostering visibility, community-building, and opportunities for BIPOC creatives across the 905 region, including St. Catharines.
“Niagara College continues to create an incredible platform for our vendors to showcase their goods and services while fostering a space that truly celebrates Black excellence,” said Bell. “This partnership feels deeply intentional and meaningful, and it’s one our vendors look forward to as a moment of visibility, connection, and pride.”
NC’s Winter Pop-up Market, 2025
Community vendors include:
- Positive Living Niagara
- Future Black Female – Empowering Black girls and women
- Soulicious Pepper Sauce – Trinidadian-style pepper sauces
- RivR Candle – Hand-poured soy wax candles
- Baki Ink Shop – Tote bags, custom clothing
- Glamourous Goddess – Custom wristwear
Student vendors include:
- Alida Mathilde Mekontso, Math Empire: Beaded bags and lip gloss
- Tamara Brushe, BusyBee Prints: Custom-printed t-shirts, including Black History Month designs created live at the event
- Niagara College Black Student Association
“Black History Month is about celebrating Black history, joy, and creativity,” said Samah Sabra, Director, EDI and Accessibility.” This year’s theme for Black History Month in Canada is 30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations — From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries. NC is honoured to be able to showcase and celebrate Black brilliance across the Niagara region by connecting with groups like Black Owned 905 to highlight Black businesses, organizations, and students.
Black Owned 905 founder Natasha Bell
Through the pop-up market, NC also plays a role in supporting students who are tomorrow’s builders and visionaries.
“Black students and employees at the College are citizens of our local communities and those communities nurture and support them,” said Sabra. “Events like this market allow us to foster and reinforce the connections between our NC community, local organizations, and our surrounding Niagara Region.
Alida Mathilde Mekontso, a first-year Electronic Engineering Technician student, is most looking forward to connecting with other students, engaging with the campus community, and showcasing her products in a real market setting.
“I was inspired to get involved in the pop-up market because I wanted to gain hands-on experience, develop my entrepreneurial, communication skills, and better understand how markets and customer interactions work,” she said. “Through this experience, I hope to learn more, and expand my network.”
Employees and students are encouraged to stop by, explore the market, and show their support for local Black-owned businesses.
To learn more about Black History Month and explore other important Days and Months of Significance throughout the year, visit EDI’s new Days of Significance calendar.
