Ottawa events raising awareness for Black mental health challenges this week

The Ottawa Black Mental Health Coalition (OBMHC) is running panel discussions, activities and performances aimed at shedding light on unique mental health challenges faced by African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) communities.

The coalition also hopes to engage members of government, health care and the community to take steps to address racism and racial discrimination.

Registration for all events featured, from March 1 to 7, can be found here.

Here are a couple of the featured events:

Black Mental Health Day

Members from the OBMHC say they will be engaging in dialogue that highlights the personal and systemic realties that are impacting the mental health of individuals from the ACB community.

Date: March 1, 2021
Time: 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Location: Zoom and YouTube
Prominent speakers include: 

• Councillor Rawlson King, City of Ottawa
• Suzanne Obiorah, Director, Gender and Race Equity, Inclusion, Indigenous Relations and Social Development, City of Ottawa
• Jude Mary Cenat, Director, VTRAC Lab, U of Ottawa
• Shannon Black, Program Manager, Britannia Woods Community House
• Papa Ladjike, Clinical Director, Centre Le CAP

A Call To Action

The OBMHC says it will be engaging in dialogue that is rooted in systems accountability around mental health care for the ACB community.

Date: March 3, 2021
Time: 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Zoom and YouTube
Speakers:

• Greg Fergus, Member of Parliament
• Celina Caesar-Chavannes, author and former Member of Parliament

The OBMHC is a network of more than 20 Black leaders in health and social services, academics, and community associations who have been convening to identify systemic changes that can improve the mental health and well-being of Black residents in Ottawa.

It says its mandate is to advocate for accessible and culturally responsive mental health supports that consider the diversity, disparities and intersectionality of the African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) community.