10/08/2026
There was more…
While I celebrated my colleagues’ awards from my chair and felt as happy as if I had received them myself, I started posting Instagram stories congratulating them. I know how hard we have all worked. Then suddenly, I heard: “Dominican Flavours.”
I didn’t understand. I had only been distracted for a minute, and then I realized we had won The People’s Choice award.
I talk a lot, but the only thing I could say was what I had in my heart: this award doesn’t belong to Dominican Flavours or to me. It belongs to all of us. Especially the very small businesses that spend many hours at a market to bring food and beverage products to the community, proudly made in Manitoba.
Those of us who spend many hours in a commercial kitchen, who start out wearing multiple hats we don’t even know how to wear.
But there is someone else who owns this award too: the Dominican community in Canada, because I want to hold my flag high everywhere I go. My passion, my love, my roots. I’m so proud that every time I mention my business name, I mention my country.
Proud Dominican, proudly made in Manitoba, Canada.
Thank you, FoodBeverageManitoba, for the nomination. This isn’t just any nomination. Being considered by an organization like yours means so much to me. Thanks God for giving me this dream that night at 2:30am!
Today, I celebrate it with my dear colleagues Koshe Quick Mart The Awa Bissap corp. 🇨🇦🇸🇳 Our Little Garden Ltd Yuka’s Bakery inc. Hudson Bagels | Uniquely WPG Chaps Filipino Style Peanut Butters East of Eden Wellness and many more business owners that always lift me up and receive my big hugs at markets!
This is ours!
We made it!
Keep going!
The best is yet to come!