The Canadians of African Descent Health Organization (CADHO) remain committed to its mission of improving health outcomes for the Black community. Through education, empowerment, and engagement, CADHO is reaching more individuals, making strides towards a healthier future for all African Caribbean and Black (ACB) community members.

CADHO aimed to raise awareness and recognize the unique health challenges faced by the Black community in Ottawa, Canada, through the “Cross-Cultural Health and Community Resilience” event. Despite the rain, which interrupted the event midway, Black resilience showed forth as the ACB community members remained under the provided tents, ready to participate in the event’s line-up.

The event, which took place at Vincent Massey Park, was in partnership with CO-CREATH Lab at the University of Ottawa, the Ottawa Public Health (OPH), and the AIDS Committee of Ottawa (ACO), and brought together Black individuals to foster community engagement and advocacy to address health disparities and promote culturally sensitive healthcare.

As a melting pot of cultures, with families, elders, and youth coming together to learn about health and wellness, CADHO’s president, Professor Josephine Etowa, offered information on a range of topics, from diabetes management to mental health support.

Etowa, a full professor of nursing at the University of Ottawa, said that “the event’s August date symbolizes the emancipation from slavery. It is an opportunity to celebrate our freedom as Black Canadians, particularly in relation to our health, as research during the COVID-19 showed the virus had a huge effect on the Black community.”  Prof. Etowa stated, “CADHO selected the event’s theme with the intention of celebrating our culture. We also want to link that to health and community resilience because we know its proportionate impact on health determinants such as education, food security, gender, access to healthcare, and how that can impact the health of Black people.”

She urged the community to constantly be on the alert and come together to find ways to create solutions to tackle these determinants that affect Black people’s health, with the goal of curbing disease conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, COVID, and HIV in Black communities.

To assess the research needs of the Black community in Ottawa, Dr. Chinedu Oraka, the chair of CADHO’s Research and Knowledge-to-Action Committee, conducted an online survey, gathering participants’ input to prioritize research topics that best address the Black community’s health needs and challenges. He encouraged non-online poll participants to do the same survey on paper.

“We want to tell a different story in 10 years time to inspire change and progress,” said a representative from CO-CREATH Lab, Amoy Jacques, during her presentation. “The focus is on inspiring the younger generation to have a positive impact on health outcomes and data collection. So, it is important to understand health information and advocate for better healthcare.”

Jacques said that at the CO-CREATH Lab, they have introduced the concept of critical health and racial literacy, explaining its importance in understanding and accessing better healthcare as the program aims to teach individuals how to interpret health information and advocate for themselves within the healthcare system.

She said part of the goal is to equip the next generation with the knowledge to ask the right questions and navigate the healthcare system effectively, adding that it is important to engage with community partners and peers to transform health outcomes.

Jacques highlighted the peer equity navigation program, saying its aim is to collect and share health information within the community, while introducing the Black Women’s Health Research Agenda program called “She Speaks,” which is more focused on addressing the health issues faced by Black women in Canada. She encouraged participants to visit the CO-CREATH Lab website to learn more about the program and other initiatives.

“There is a need to support adults with various challenges, including substance abuse, homelessness, mental health, and work-related problems,” said Dania Versailles, Director of Clinical Services in Community Mental Health at the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), during her presentation on mental health.

Versailles emphasizes the importance of addressing these issues to reduce the need for frequent visits to the emergency departments or mental health units.

“The CADHO event has been informative, especially on health education and community belonging,” said Adam Nuraddeen, a community engagement lead for the Umoja Black community at Carleton University and a participant at the event.

Nuraddeen emphasizes how racism and anti-Blackness have exacerbated the significant issue of mental health and mental illness, particularly among Black youths. He said, “This has forced Black people into survival mode, making them feel psychologically inferior and more susceptible to hostility and violence.”

Despite these challenges, Nuraddeen sees an opportunity for inclusive education, awareness, and empowerment for the ACB community in addressing mental health and physical health issues, such as diabetes and heart disease. Nuraddeen is pleased that CADHO’s event has mobilized the ACB community to work together to ensure better health outcomes for all ages.

A particularly impactful aspect of the event was the involvement of teens and kids in a game called “The Building Blocks of Health,” spearheaded by Kani Osiagwu and Sasha Nyanor, who are both volunteers of the CO-CREATH Lab at the University of Ottawa.

While explaining the significance of the game, the duo said, “The idea behind the activity is to identify and share go-to health resources within the community. We designed the game to enhance youths’ awareness and understanding of health issues.

They said the activity included questions about Black health and the disproportionality of Black people seeking healthcare due to discrimination, as the goal is to make learning about these issues fun and engaging for the youngsters as well as educate the community about available health resources.

Both Kani and Sasha agreed that Canada can use its multicultural potential to ensure that all people have access to healthcare and health resources.