While most kids her age were enrolled in pricey afterschool programs in the arts—dance, theatre, music—Queen Alexis was quietly admiring the performing arts from afar in her single-parent household. It was in 2013 that the 12-year-old resolved that no child should have to forgo an interest in the arts just because of economic status. Enter: Queen’s Academy of the Arts, an inclusive musical theatre program for kids aged three to 14 in the form of weekly classes, spring and summer camps and after-school sessions. The business model relies on being an approved provider within the Burnaby and Coquitlam school districts, making its programs priced below comparable local offerings. There are additional subsidy programs to give equitable access to all kids who want to sing, dance, act or perform.
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With equity built into the business plan, Queen’s pricing at Queen’s Academy of the Arts is lower than other, non-school district sanctioned programs—even so, she managed to scale to six-figures in the most recent fiscal year. Operating as a sole-proprietorship with no brick-and-mortar overhead (the classes come directly to the schools and small local businesses), Queenhas developed more than 5,000 hours of performing arts curriculum for 1,500-plus families, sometimes contracting educators to teach additional classes. And that’s all while earning a bachelor of arts degree, a musical theatre diploma and studying to complete her bachelor of education. Her latest move? Launching a fully funded Black Youth camp and hosting weekly BIPOC classes.“Having a space where [kids] feel included and feel celebrated for who they are is really special,” she says.
Who is your role model and why?
“My mom. She’s a single mom and she showed me that I can do anything that I set my mind to. She is 1,000 percent my champion.”
See the full list of our 2026 30 Under 30 winners here.
