Growing up in St. Catharines, Ont., Lorenzo Evans and Tyrell MacLennan often felt caught between two worlds.

At home, Caribbean classics blared on the speakers, barbecues brought family together, and stories from the Island countries were being passed down. 

Outside those walls, though, finding that connection wasn’t always easy in the Niagara Region.

“There wasn’t that much Caribbean influence here,” Evans said. “I wasn’t ashamed of my culture, but I was trying to fit in.”

Today, Evans and MacLennan, who grew up together as childhood friends, are now Toronto based. They are also co-founders of Wi Deh’ya, organizing parties and festival experiences centred on Caribbean music and culture. 

“It’s a Caribbean event platform,” MacLennan said. “We’re creating space for second and third-generation Caribbean people to connect with their roots through food, culture, music, and fashion.”

“We’re trying to bridge the gap between the Caribbean and its diaspora.”

The name comes from Jamaican patois meaning, roughly, we’re here — a greeting that also signals everything is good.

For Evans and MacLennan, it also reflects their mission.

“We’re here, we’re present, everything’s blessed,” MacLennan said.

Building something they couldn’t find

Evans’ father is Jamaican. MacLennan’s father is Trinidadian. But neither felt fully immersed in those cultures.

It wasn’t until they both moved to Toronto in their early 20s — where they were exposed to the city’s multiculturalism — that they then felt fully connected with their roots.

“When I moved to Toronto, I realized, ‘I love my culture,” Evans said. “It finally felt right.”

Evans, who started DJing like his father, found himself surrounded by the reggae and dancehall music he had grown up hearing at home. 

Now going by the stage name DJ Rennie, he’s established himself as one of the more well-known DJs in the city, collaborating with brands like Canada Basketball, JD Sports and Nike.

Despite Toronto’s large Caribbean population, both Evans and MacLennan say they felt there were few downtown events geared toward younger audiences that fully embraced Caribbean culture.

So they created one.

WATCH | Take a look at what it is like to attend Deh’ya Fest:

Take a look at what it is like to attend Deh’ya Fest

Attendees at last year’s Deh’ya Fest in Toronto were encouraged to wave the flags of their home country.

Launching during Toronto Carnival weekend in 2023, Wi Deh’ya’s first event attracted about 200 people. Unlike many nightlife brands, they say that they focused less on celebrity performers and more on creating an experience through music, Caribbean-inspired decor and DJs from the region.

“We want people to feel like they’re stepping into our world,” MacLennan said.

The response has grown quickly. Their first festival drew about 900 people. Last year’s attracted roughly 3,000, they say, and they expect this year’s anniversary event, Deh’ya Fest, to be even larger.

“It’s seeing people dancing,” Evans said. “People come to Wi Deh’ya knowing they’re going to have a good time.”

A Caribbean identity for their generation

The founders say their platform isn’t just about parties.

It’s about helping a generation of Caribbean Canadians embrace an identity that often looks different from that of their parents.

“We all kind of have different perspectives on the culture,” MacLennan said. “We’re showing what Caribbean culture looks like growing up in Canada.”

Their events intentionally blend dancehall, soca and music from across the Caribbean, reflecting the diversity of both the islands and Canada’s diaspora.

“The Caribbean is almost like one country with different regions,” MacLennan said. “We’re trying to bring everyone together.”

Both MacLennan and Brown highlighted the importance of supporting the Caribbean community. Their last summer party was held in Toronto’s Little Jamaica, an enclave that has faced numerous challenges over the years to maintain their businesses.

Never forgetting home in Niagara

Although Toronto has become the home of Wi Deh’ya, both founders still credit St. Catharines with shaping who they are.

They remember afternoons at the YMCA, bike rides through the city and summers at Port Dalhousie. One day, they hope to bring one of their signature events back to Niagara.

“We’d love to give back,” Evans said.

They also hope young Caribbean Canadians growing up in smaller communities won’t feel disconnected from their heritage the way they once did.

“I’d tell them not to forget their roots,” Evans said. “Don’t hide who you are.”

MacLennan believes it’s never too late to reconnect.

“Don’t let anyone tell you you’re not Caribbean enough,” he said.

Wi Deh’ya’s message has gone beyond Toronto’s borders, with future events scheduled in London UK, New York City and Montreal.

Three years after launching Wi Deh’ya, the pair say they’re still learning as they grow the business.

“We’re building the plane while we’re flying it,” MacLennan said.

Deh’Ya Fest 2026 is their next flagship event. It is taking place on August 2 at the Lamport Stadium parking lot during Toronto Carnival weekend.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.