It was the middle of lockdown, and the group of friends had been creating different items: pottery, candles, shirts. But they had nowhere to showcase their work. So they created their own market: Summer Souq.
“I’ve met so many amazing street vendors in the past four years, just women that have been doing this in the city for 30, 40 years,” Harris said. “Those are the women that I want to highlight.”Summer Souq has also been a way to reinforce family and community structures. During the pandemic, especially, Harris saw the way that having nothing to do affected both kids and parents in her community.
Harris, who is Muslim, said she also wanted to ensure that the market would be a welcoming space for the Muslim community — meaning no alcohol or smoking, and an overall family-friendly environment. That being said, it’s an open space for all, and several of the vendors are non-Muslim.