Toronto is spotlighting anti-Black racism that impacts mental health of Black residents with the campaign Black Mental Health Week.
In March 2020, the city of Toronto hosted its first inaugural Black Mental Health Day which was orchestrated by TAIBU Community Health Centre in Scarborough.
That first month helped bring attention to the inequity and anti-Black racism has affected Black Torontonians for many years.
According to a study from the Shining A Light on Mental Health in ‘Black Communities’ have shown that 38.5 per cent of Black Canadians with poor or fair self-reported mental health used services compared to White Canadians with 50.8 per cent.
This year, the community centre along with many other organizations and panelists have put together and are hosting programs throughout the week of March 7-11.
One of the events was called “Understanding Mental Health.”
Dr. Akwatu Khenti who is the Special Advisor to the City of Toronto’s COVID-19 equity initiative and Chair of the Black Scientists’ Task Force on Vaccine Equity talked about how anti-racism has to be taken seriously.
“Health care should never be damaging,” he said
Khenti also highlighted why Black residents are not seeking help from health professionals.
“They don’t take them seriously. There needs to be accountability for racial discrimination in health care, because it costs our society significantly and part of the mortality is that we are bearing the brunt of it,” he said
One of the many conversations that Khan spoke on is the lack of sick days that Black residents get and how that can affect their mental health.
The past few years have seen major stresses on people including the pandemic and high profile incidents of shocking anti Black violence and racism.
“We have been able to get 10 sick days during a pandemic because of who needs sick day the most is radicalized workers as black workers, black healthcare workers need the most,” he said.
“That’s why we’ve been the least likely to get it but not having the most fundamental protections is that it’s a mental health risk factor. You have to go to work anyway. What does that do to your mental well-being knowing you’re a greater risk?”
Another event that is part of this year’s Black Mental Health Week is “Occupational Therapy and your Mental Health: Everyday Strategies to Promote Optimal Well-Being” which took place virtual on March 8.
Members from the Black Occupational Therapists of Ontario Association spoke on how their jobs help many Black Ontarians.
“We wanted to create a safe space where Black occupational therapists practitioners and students can share any thoughts, feelings or concerns or anything that you know they’ve experienced in their career,” Aaron Palmer a registered occupational therapist and co-owner of Melamed Palmer Inc.
The occupational therapists who spoke also wanted to advocate for equal opportunities employment and education for Black OTs and students, as well as improved access to health care and OT services within black community.
Abigail Nkrumah an Occupational Therapist at Trillium Health Partners in Mississauga said Black people are more than likely to have less education, unemployed, having a lower average income, more likely to be victims of violence.
“These inequalities can lead to more stressful conditions that Black people are required to live under, and places them at risk. of poor mental health,” she said.
There are myths and stigma surrounding Black people and mental health, she said. Some myths include the idea that therapy is not for Black people, that intergenerational trauma doesn’t exist, and that depression can be cured solely through prayer.
Other events that are schedule for the remainder of the week are Black Men Mental Health, “Hear my Voice not My Behaviour” which dives into the state of Black men mental health and exploring the impacts of children’s mental health.