Black History Month – Uplifting Future Generations Through Health Equity 

_{February 27, 2025
By Marco Campana, Knowledge Mobilization and Social Action Coordinator, Access Alliance}

February marks Black History Month. This year’s theme is “Black Legacy and Leadership: Celebrating Canadian History and Uplifting Future Generations.” We honour the rich contributions of Black leaders worldwide, from celebrated figures to unsung heroes whose efforts have shaped human progress. Find out more about some of the events we have held in February.  

This month, we reflect on the stories of advocates and leaders who fought for social justice, equity, and liberation, and celebrate and amplify Black voices to inspire future generations. This is also a month to honour local heroes who have contributed to a more inclusive society through art, culture, and everyday life, while encouraging the documentation of their stories to preserve history for future generations. 

As an organization mandated to work with newcomers, we recognize our community includes settlers, immigrants, and those who came forcibly in past generations, particularly through the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade. We acknowledge the ongoing impacts of colonialism while recognizing the resilience and resistance of Indigenous peoples across Canada.  

We acknowledge the vital role organizations like ours play in creating safe and welcoming spaces for Black Canadians, including Black 2SLGBTQ+ newcomers. Our Among Friends program continues to serve clients arriving from various African countries who are escaping government-sanctioned discrimination based on their sexual orientation. 

 
Celebrating Black Canadians 

While references to renowned Black Americans tend to capture our attention during this month, we intentionally celebrate Black Canadians, whether they’re famous figures, or neighbours we cherish. 

One of these cherished neighbours was Nahom Berhane, who spent his last years with us at Access Alliance as a beloved health promoter, before his tragic death in 2014. His legacy continues through the The Nahom Berhane Scholarship for Leadership and Inclusion, now in its 10th and final year. This scholarship provides financial support to youth of African descent with demonstrated community service, who need assistance for post-secondary education. Six $4,000 scholarships are available for eligible students this year, with $100 honorariums for shortlisted candidates. 

We encourage everyone to seek out stories about other Black Canadian social justice activists, innovators, and patriots. Canadians should be as familiar with Viola Desmond’s story as they are with Rosa Parks’. NorQuest College offers a valuable repository of materials and resources focused on Black Canadian History for those wanting to learn more. 

Research and action 

Anti-Black racism permeates our culture and institutions, including healthcare and education. Combined with discriminatory policies, this creates structural inequities with harmful effects on Black populations in Canada. Black individuals face higher rates of poverty, over-policing, limited educational and employment opportunities, and poorer health outcomes. 

For Black Canadians, anti-Black racism serves as a critical social determinant of health. It is essential to engage in deliberate and sustained efforts to achieve health equity for Black communities in health planning. For example, diabetes prevalence has increased significantly among younger adults in Canada, with Black individuals disproportionately affected, and experiencing worse complications. Our recent research highlighted the importance of targeted approaches to Black health equity. 

Additional research also shows that some members of Toronto’s Black communities who identify as having African and/or Caribbean ancestry may have limited knowledge of health promotion activities, relying primarily on healthcare providers and social networks for information. Community members emphasized health awareness, advocacy, sensitivity, and autonomy as priority areas for health promotion. Our ongoing work assesses their knowledge about available services, identifies needs, and addresses challenges in healthcare system navigation. 

We can only truly celebrate Black Canadians in our work if they are included. Our findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to address systemic issues and promote health equity within Black Canadian communities. Culturally safe, relevant, and community-focused engagement is essential for promoting healthy communities.  

Healthcare providers, community organizations, and policymakers must allocate resources for culturally appropriate education and services, including peer delivery of public health information and interventions. A health equity approach that intentionally involves Black individuals and communities is crucial for successful health outcomes, today, this month, and for generations to come.