# Sumaya Dalmar

> Sumaya Dalmar (d. 2015): Somali-Canadian transgender activist and model in Toronto.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/people/sumaya-dalmar/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## Who was she?

Sumaya Dasia Dalmar, also known as Sumaya YSL, was a Somali-Canadian transgender activist and model ([Wikipedia, Sumaya Dalmar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumaya_Dalmar)). She was among the first Somalis to come out publicly as transgender (same source). She was born in Mogadishu and left at the age of three when the civil war began; her family settled in Vancouver (same source).

## Life in Toronto

She moved to Toronto in 2009 to transition ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumaya_Dalmar)). In 2012 she was the main subject of *Labeeb*, a play and documentary work by Abdi Osman on gender, sexuality and faith in the Somali community (same source). She qualified as a speech therapist and worked as a model, and took part in the Black Queer Youth group of Supporting Our Youth (same source). She was due to start work at The 519, an LGBT community centre, the day after she died (same source). See [Somalis in Toronto](/en/diaspora/toronto/).

## Death

She died on 22 February 2015 aged 26, in circumstances that were not made public ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumaya_Dalmar)). Her death was widely discussed, and a public memorial and candlelight vigil were held in Toronto on 3 March 2015 (same source).

## In short

A Somali-Canadian model and activist whose visibility was widely noted in Toronto before her early death.

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