IWD2021: Marketplace Submissions

International Women’s Day reminds us of the need to continue to uplift each other, while also shutting down the patriarchy and misogyny that impact women, trans, two-spirit, and gender-diverse folks in business and workspaces.

In celebration of the occasion, we invited submissions promoting businesses owned and run by women, non-binary, and two-spirit folks.

We are thankful for the many submissions we received, and we will be sharing and celebrating them over the month.

Through this call, we celebrate the creativity, resilience, and accomplishments of these entrepreneurs. Let's show them some love!

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Crazy Like Me.

Crazy Like Me is a private mental health and addiction peer support counselling practice based in Toronto, Ontario. It is run by Jennifer Soutar, a white, cis-women, lesbian and survivor of addiction living with mental illness.

www.crazylike.me • Instagram: @crazy.like.jenn

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HOL + WELL

Amy C. Willis is a dual-certified Sobriety & Mindset Coach, supporting women in reclaiming their freedom and power through sobriety via 1:1 and group coaching.

www.holandwell.com • Instagram: @msamycwillis

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Forouz Salari Therapy

Forouz Salari (she/her) is a social worker, psychotherapist and clinical consultant in Toronto providing online counselling (video or phone) to people across Ontario, including individual counselling, couples counselling and family therapy.

www.forouzsalaritherapy.ca  • Facebook: forouz.salari.therapy • Instagram: @forouz.salari.therapy 

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Sarah Hunter

I am a gender queer non binary artist who sells my work online and live.

I have art work, t-shirt designs and tattoo designs for sale on my website and on social media. I am a free lance artist who has shown my work in numerous

group and solo shows here in Toronto as well as Ottawa Montreal and the USA

Instagram: @sarahturtlart • Facebook: Sarah Hunter Artist • www.turtlart.ca

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Juno College of Technology

Founded in 2012 as HackerYou, Juno College of Technology is a Canadian digital skills school that helps you build a fulfilling career in tech.

www.junocollege.com  •  Instagram: @junocollege  •  Twitter: @junocollege

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Chuck's Mutts & Co

Chuck’s Mutts & Co was born of a deep love and respect for dogs and their needs. Dogs are our family and that is the backbone of our care… We are a proud Queer BIPOC run business doing what we can to help those within by supporting other 2SLGBTQ* businesses, customers and various community opportunities.
www.chucksmutts.com  •  Instagram: @chucks.mutts  •  Facebook: chucksmutts

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Gender 404

Gender 404 is a trans-owned apparel brand run by two non-binary individuals named Jax (they/them) and Sam (he/they)! Gender 404 started with their "The Future is Non-binary" t-shirt and has since added new products, created an online store, and even got (a little) better at social media! Everything is designed, made, and packaged with love from their tiny apartment in downtown Toronto.

www.gender404shop.com  •  Instagram: @gender404shop

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The Lippie Lab

The Lippie Lab is a vegan, cruelty & gluten free lipgloss brand founded by Lyss Billingsley, a Queer Black Femme from Toronto, Canada. At the age of 32 Lyss vowed to never work a “regular job” for anyone ever again, thus The Lippie Lab was born.
Twitter: @thelippielab  •  Instagram: @thelippielab  •  Facebook: @thelippielab  •  www.thelippielab.com

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YallaRoza

My name is Roza, and I'm a queer illustrator located in Tkaronto/Toronto. On social media, I am known as YallaRoza. Much of my art is rooted in my own identities and the communities I belong to –as a queer, Muslim cis-woman of colour.
Instagram: @yallaroza  •  www.yallaroza.com

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Jasminedrawing

Jasmine Noseworthy Persaud is a chronically ill, nonbinary digital media artist of Guyanese and English descent living in Tkaronto. They create work around embodiment – part of an intentional practice to honour the magic and wisdom we hold in our bodies. They are particularly interested in drawing connections between micro and macro levels of intimacy, interdependence, and care. Chosen media includes: illustration, poetry, and film.
Twitter: @jasminedrawing  •  Facebook: @jasminedrawing  • www.jasminepersaud.portfoliobox.net

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A Touch of Love Supportive Health Care Services

My name is Christina Hill and I run A Touch of Love. A small business that provides supportive and complementary health care services. I provide touch therapy via cuddling sessions.
Facebook: @ATouchofLoveSupportiveHealthCareServices

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THRESHOLDS
Planning a wedding or other lifecycle event? I would be honoured to walk with you across this significant threshold. What a joy to be able to legally officiate at weddings  for people of all genders.  I will work with you to create a unique and meaningful ceremony that reflects who you are and what's important to you.  Big or small, private or flamboyant, secular or spiritual, traditional or contemporary ~ together we will integrate traditions, cultural practices, or new rituals that fill your ceremony with meaning.
Instagram: @threshold.crossing  •  Facebook: ThresholdOfficiant  • Facebook: NiaWithLainie  •  www.lainiemagidsohn.com

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Fiona Seth

My name is Fiona (Jordan) Seth and I am a watercolour and digital illustrator and writer. Since 2017 I have lived and worked in the Village. I love to do watercolour commissions of buildings and houses, and I also do branding / logos for small businesses, as well as other commissions.

Instagram: @fionasethstudio  •  www.fionaseth.com

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Toronto Dating Hub

Toronto Dating Hub is a premier resource for singles in the city- offering fun, unique singles events, dating coaching services, and dating tips. Started in May 2020 during the pandemic, we've hosted over 15 events which include yoga, fitness, dance, holiday-themed games. We love supporting & partnering with local businesses/entrepreneurs to offer these types of activity-based events.
Instagram: torontodatinghub  •  www.linktr.ee/torontodatinghub

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Snake Eyes

Snake Eyes was born out of a passion for eye fashion. Driven by the premise of "one-of-a-find", Snake Eyes rescues eyeglasses from older collections and landfills, and given another chance.
Instagram: @snakeeyes.ca  •  Facebook: snakeeyes.ca  •  www.snakeeyes.ca

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SA Collective Inc

SA Collective Inc is the brainchild of Sandra Awuku, an African-Canadian entrepreneur who founded this organization in 2014. The organization with a core team of brilliant, diverse women is proud to prioritize the growth and advancement of women in business. SA Collective specializes in corporate solutions such as branding, grant writing, marketing strategies, digital content creation, digital campaigns, social media campaigns, video / media content, and virtual event management.

Facebook: SA-Collective-Inc  • Instagram: sacollective_inc  • Twitter: SACollectiveInc  • Linkedin: sa-collective-inc  • www.sacollective.ca

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Mint Green Mondays

My name is Victoria and I am the creator of Mint Green Mondays! I am a white queer woman artist who draws emotional doodles that capture the ups and downs of being a human.

Instagram: @mintgreenmondays  •  www.mintgreenmondays.com

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ALERINA

ALERINA believes in creating handcrafted sustainable luxury jewelry accessible to all. Our mission is to create effortless, bold and intuitive pieces that you’ll reach for every day. Our pieces are the foundation to building a beautiful and personal jewelry curation. Created with sustainability in mind, our pieces bring confidence to those who were them and to those who make them. Our pieces are crafted in small-volume batches to reduce excess waste and energy while allowing us to craft each piece with the utmost care to ensure the best quality.

Instagram: @alerinajewelry  •  www.alerinajewelry.com

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Ariane Julien

Ariane (They/She) is a queer Toronto based jeweller and metalsmith. After graduating from George Brown College's Jewellery Arts program they started a business creating handcrafted sterling silver rings necklaces and earrings.  They draw inspiration from gothic wrought ironwork and enjoy applying the style of large scale decorative blacksmithing into small precious wearable pieces.

Etsy: ArianeJulienDesign  •  Instagram: @arianejuliendesign

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Cardinal Carpentry

Cardinal Carpentry is a full-service residential renovations company. Quality construction and consistency are core values at Cardinal Carpentry and are the foundation of everything we do. Our projects are built to last!'
Instagram: @cardinal_carpentry  •  Facebook: Cardinal Carpentry  •  https://www.cardinalcarpentry.ca/

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Maxyfoods

This is Maxyfoods a food business in Toronto dealing on food ' snacks, cakes and more reaching out with authentic Nigerian cuisine with other ethnicity delicacies

Instagram: @maxyfoodsca  •  Facebook: MaxyFoodsCA

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Centre for Applied Neuroscience Inc

My name is Mandy Wintink and I am the CEO of the Centre for Applied Neuroscience Inc, which is a company I founded in 2010.

Our focus is on developing and delivering courses for personal and professional development using neuroscience, psychology, and mindfulness. We offer certification courses in Life Coaching Certification and also Emotional Regulation for Children.

Instagram: centreforappliedneuroscience  •  Facebook: CANCoaching  •  www.KnowYourBrain.ca

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The Positivity Bear

My name is Barbi G. and I have a budding online business called The Positivity Bear. A fun fact about me – my birthday is March 8th, International Women's Day! The Positivity Bear is a wellness brand, offering digital products in the mental health niche. Currently selling a super informative eBook on positive affirmations and how to make effective changes in your mindset and mood, as well as an audio program that complements all the great information from the book.

Instagram: @thepositivitybear  • Main sales page: https://pages.thepositivitybear.com/1simplesecret  •  www.thepositivitybear.com

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Meghan's Music Studio

My name's Meghan and I offer drum, guitar, and ukulele lessons (online). I’ve been teaching music for the past 10 years and my goal as a teacher has always been to inspire a lifelong love of music in my students.

Website: www.sticksandpicks.com • Instagram: @MeghansMusicStudio • E-mail: MeghansMusicStudio@gmail.com

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Arts Action Programs (CANVAS)

Arts Action Programs (CANVAS) is a non-profit organization founded in 2014 by Ayla Lefkowitz and Miriam Selick to prevent sexual violence, homophobia, and transphobia. Based out of Toronto and offering digital workshops across North America, CANVAS uses interactive, arts-inspired training programs to educate on consent and 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion in schools, summer camps, community centres, and youth-serving workplaces.

Social Media: @canvasprograms • www.canvasprograms.com

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Jennifer Eaman

I am a Black queer neurodivergent woman who is a semi-retired cyber sexworker and who identifies as a survivor of SA. I have been practicing peer support for 5 years and I prioritize Black folks who are seeking mental health support. I ground my work in person-centered, trauma informed, collaborative, and anti-oppressive approaches.

Specialized Support: QTBIPOC; Anxiety; Survivors of Abuse; Self Harm/Self Injury; Depression and Suicidality; Sex, Pleasure and Communication; Anti-Black Trauma; Resource Sharing; Body Image Relationships.

Can be found at Toronto Affordable Therapy Network: https://affordabletherapynetwork.com/ontario/

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Herb & Petal

I’m Mona Dee, the founder and owner of Herb & Petal, an organic skincare brand based in East York, Toronto.We take pride in using premium oils in all our formulations, in order to provide our clients with high performance natural skincare products.
Instagram: @Herb.n.petal • Facebook: @herbnpetalskincare • www.herbnpetalskincare.com

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The Pink Studio

The Pink Studio Dance + Fitness is a body-acceptance and inclusive fitness space in the Danforth neighbourhood that celebrates all bodies and abilities. The Pink Studio specializes in adult beginner dance, offering classes such as Ballet, Broadway, Pop Dance, Beginner Beyoncé and Contemporary, as well as a full schedule of fitness classes for all levels.

Instagram: @thepinkstudiotoronto • Facebook: @thepinkstudiotoronto • www.thepinkstudio.ca

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Free To Move

Hi, I'm AK (they/them), the founder of Free To Move, a body inclusive online movement and wellness community for QTNB. As a queer, non-binary and chronically ill person, I've felt like an outsider in most fitness space. That's why I started Free To Move. To build a welcoming community of LGBTQ+ folks, who want to feel good in their body, stronger in their daily life, and take care of their mental and physical health.

Instagram: @ak.mackellar • www.befreetomove.ca

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Queer Power Fitness (QPF)

My name is Jennifer Drobot, and I run a business called Queer Power Fitness or QPF. QPF, or Queer Power Fitness is a FITNESS FOR ALL BODIES sliding scale personal training/group class service offered for folks in the 2SLGBTQIA community.

Queer Power Fitness strives to provide a safe and inclusive personal training "space" (virtual right now) for folks to come and move their bodies where racism, fatphobia, transphobia, homophobia, and ableism is not tolerated.

Instagram: @queerpowerfitness • Website: WORKIN ON IT!

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