DESTA Black Community Network

✨As we step into the new year, we are happy to announce an exciting new content series coming to your feed soon. QUARTIER SNAPSHOTS will showcase stories of resilience, perseverance and success from real people representing different quartiers in Montreal. ✊🏾 Your kind support of our mission at DESTA strengthens our community allowing us to bring these stories to you. 🔗Link in bio to donate. Thanking you in advance and wishing you a joyous holiday season! #desta #dareeverysoultoachieve #quartiersnapshots #successstories #community #donate #empoweringblackcommunities

DESTA is proud to present the screening of Stefan Verna’s film, Night Watches Us, with the National Film Board of Canada. Night Watches Us examines the systemic forces that lead to the tragic passing of Nicholas Gibbs, telling the story through the eyes of his family and community, united in their collective grief. Using a blend of documentary styles mixed with street art and spoken word, this film is a love letter in honour of Nicholas and the Gibbs family. The event will feature a screening of the documentary, followed by an expert panel discussion with light refreshments served. 🗓 May 29, 2026 at 7PM 📍Union United Church — 3007 Rue Delisle 🎟 Tickets are free to the community and available through Eventbrite registration. Link in bio. #DESTA #NightWatchesUs #FilmScreening #Montreal

Join us for Afro-Queer Poetry Night, a celebration of Afro-Queer art across the diaspora! 🎤✨ Created by Madpoetix Productions in collaboration with Fondation Massimadi @massimadi and DESTA Black Community Network. This is a dedicated space for Black & BIPOC queer voices to speak, be heard, and express themselves through the rawest form of art. Come forward, support, and celebrate a beautiful community and its purest expression – AFROQUEER! Hosted by the Outstanding Anton May 💫✨ Featuring the Magnanimous Naïka Champaïgne 🔥🎙️ 🥂Each ticket includes 2 complimentary drink tickets. 🗓 Date: May 20, 2026 📍Venue: 1221 Crescent Street ⏰ Doors Open: 6:00PM | Showtime: 7:00PM 🎟 Tickets: link in bio _____ Rejoignez-nous pour la Soirée de poésie afro-queer, une célébration de l’art afro-queer à travers la diaspora, organisée par Madpoetix Productions en collaboration avec la Fondation Massimadi et DESTA Réseau de la communauté noire. 🎤✨ Il s’agit d’un espace dédié aux voix queer noires et BIPOC pour s’exprimer, se faire entendre et s’épanouir à travers la forme d’art la plus brute qui soit. Venez nombreux pour soutenir et célébrer une communauté magnifique et son expression la plus pure: AFROQUEER! Animé par l’exceptionnel Anton May 💫✨ Avec la magnanime Naïka Champaïgne 🔥🎙️ 🥂 Chaque billet comprend 2 coupons de consommation gratuits. 🗓 Date : 20 mai 2026 📍Lieu : 1221, rue Crescent ⏰ Ouverture des portes : 18h00 | Début du spectacle : 19h00 🎟 Billets : Lien dans la bio #Desta #MadpoetixProductions #FondationMassimadi #AfroQueerPoetryNight #PoetryNight Montreal

Grateful to the Mayor of Little Burgundy and her incredible team for joining us last Saturday at our Bargain & BBQ and showing such meaningful support for our community.✨ Your presence reminded us that strong neighborhoods are built through connection, collaboration, and showing up for one another. Thank you for taking the time to celebrate, engage, and invest in the people who make this community so vibrant. Together, we continue building spaces where community thrives. - Un immense merci à la mairesse de la Petite-Bourgogne et à son incroyable équipe d’avoir été présentes samedi dernier lors de notre Bargain & BBQ et d’avoir démontré un soutien aussi précieux envers notre communauté.✨ Votre présence nous rappelle que des quartiers forts se bâtissent grâce aux liens, à la collaboration et à l’engagement concret. Merci d’avoir pris le temps de célébrer, d’échanger et d’investir dans les personnes qui font vibrer cette communauté. Ensemble, nous continuons à créer des espaces où la communauté peut s’épanouir. #CommunityLeadership #LittleBurgundy #StrongerTogether #CommunityEngagement #LeadershipCommunautaire #PetiteBourgogne #PlusFortEnsemble #EngagementCommunautaire

Join the Horticulture Academy, a hands-on, community-based program introducing participants to urban gardening, horticulture, and sustainable food systems! 🌱 Delivered in partnership with @hamidouhorticulture and @destabyn , the program blends practical learning with community engagement. Participants will attend weekly in-person sessions combined with online learning and at-home activities. 🌼 What You’ll Gain: • Hands-on gardening experience • Knowledge of sustainable food systems • Community learning environment • Hybrid learning (in-person + online) • $1,000 stipend upon completion • Certificate of participation 🪴Program Structure: • May 2026 – February 2027 • 1 session per week • 3 modules: Summer, Fall, Winter • Breaks between modules 🌿 Who Should Apply: •Curious about gardening or sustainability • Able to commit consistently •Motivated to learn • Open to hybrid learning ✨️This program is bilingual and will be delivered in English and French 👉🏾 Don't miss this opportunity to grow skills that matter, alongside your community! Apply now through the link in our bio! #Desta #HamidouHorticulture #HorticultureAcademy #Montreal

We're live at our Bargains & BBQ Community Sale in Little Burgundy! Coming from Georges-Vanier metro? Follow the video to find us, we're just a few minutes away! 🔥 ✨️Don’t miss your chance to grab some free food and great deals from $1-$25! 📍Address: Little Burgundy, 1950 Rue Saint-Antoine O, Montréal, QC H3J 1A5 #Desta #BargainsandBBQ #CommunitySale

Each spring, GardenShare supports Black and Indigenous families across Greater Montreal in growing healthy, nutritious food at home. Since 2021, we have installed 70+ gardens from Laval to Kahnawake, and this year we are excited to welcome new gardeners and introduce a special program for elders. 🌱How it works: Apply by May 1st. Selected participants will be notified in early May, complete a short garden design survey, and receive all supplies including plants, soil, planters, and a toolkit delivered on May 30th. Gardeners will also receive optional setup support and access to a mentor all season long. 🌾Who can apply: GardenShare is free for Black and Indigenous households (1–8 people) experiencing food insecurity, with any amount of growing space—from window sills to backyards. All you need is a commitment to care for your garden and share surplus harvests. Priority delivery areas include SW Montreal, Lachine, and LaSalle. 🍃What you will receive: Seedlings and seeds, soil, planter bags, a gardening toolkit, a grower’s guide, and ongoing mentorship—everything you need to get growing. ✨Ready to grow your own food this season? Check your eligibility and apply today. Link in bio! 🎥 @krissyisms_ #Desta #DestaFood #Gardenshare

Here’s a sneak peek of what we’re selling at our Bargains and BBQ Community Sale! 🛒✨️ From chairs, furniture, books, and more, everything must go as we prepare for our big move. Grab a bite fresh off the grill, enjoy the music, and support a great cause. Come early for the best finds! All proceeds will help us to continue our work in the community. ✨All items: $1–$25 🗓 Date: May 2, 2026 from 12-6PM 📍Address: 1950 Rue Saint-Antoine O, Montréal, QC H3J 1A5 #Desta #BargainsAndBBQ #CommunitySale #Montreal

It’s that time of the year! Applications are now open for DESTA’s GardenShare 2026 season! 🪴 Each spring, GardenShare supports Black and Indigenous families across Greater Montreal in growing healthy, nutritious food at home. Since 2021, we have installed 70+ gardens from Laval to Kahnawake, and this year we are excited to welcome new gardeners and introduce a special program for elders. 🌱How it works: Apply by May 1st. Selected participants will be notified in early May, complete a short garden design survey, and receive all supplies including plants, soil, planters, and a toolkit delivered on May 30th. Gardeners will also receive optional setup support and access to a mentor all season long. 🌾Who can apply: GardenShare is free for Black and Indigenous households (1–8 people) experiencing food insecurity, with any amount of growing space—from window sills to backyards. All you need is a commitment to care for your garden and share surplus harvests. Priority delivery areas include SW Montreal, Lachine, and LaSalle. 🍃What you will receive: Seedlings and seeds, soil, planter bags, a gardening toolkit, a grower’s guide, and ongoing mentorship—everything you need to get growing. ✨Ready to grow your own food this season? Check your eligibility and apply today. Link in bio! #Desta #DestaFood #Gardenshare

Volunteer with DESTA! 🌱 We’re looking for volunteers who are eager to share their time, skills, and energy to support our mission. No matter how much time you can offer, your help can make a meaningful impact on our community. We’re recruiting volunteers for a variety of tasks including event support, community outreach, administrative tasks, fundraising & partnerships, marketing & social media, photography & videography, and workshop facilitation. Our Bargains and BBQ Community Sale on May 2nd is our next event, and we’re looking for your support. Give us a helping hand, enjoy some good food, and spend the day with us! ✨Interested? Register via the link in our bio! #DESTA #Montreal #BargainsAndBBQ

Take a look at what’s cooking this April at ONYX Lab! 🍽 ✨ This month’s exciting lineup will feature a sausage making workshop with @opulencemtl , culinary lab sessions with @cantinetoca , and a fried fish escovitch cooking workshop with @ellejays_ ! Registration links will be posted on the respective chef’s pages, so keep an eye out for our signal boosts for these FREE workshops! All workshops will take place at @poubelle.magnifique on 1221 rue Crescent. This month marks the conclusion of our project with @fdnblkcomm . We are deeply thankful for their generous support, which has been essential in making these workshops possible and allowing us to share valuable culinary skills and experiences with our community. Stay tuned for some exciting news and to see what’s next for ONYX Lab Teaching Kitchen & Black Culture Commons! #DESTA #ONYXLab #BlackIdeasGrant #FundedbyFFBC

Downtown where you at! New pick-up location dropped! 🔥 Happy to announce La Poubelle Magnifique as a new pick-up spot for Akajou library members, thanks to @destabyn ! Go for the pick-up, stay for their free events - DESTA has a consistent community programming led in English. The cooking workshops, Sabi Sabi, are one of our favorites 🤤 Shoutout to the lovely Khadijah for representing the DESTA team! 📍La Poubelle Magnifique 1221 Crescent (equidistant from both Guy-Concordia and Lucien-L'Allier stations) 🗓️ Monday to Wednesday 🕙 10h to 17h #akajoulibrary