BLACK LIVES MATTER AND WE CANNOT FORGET

This needs to be repeated. Over and over again. For as long as racism continues to oppress and dehumanize the lives of black people, we will keep saying “Black Lives Matter”, because we clearly need this reminder. The murder of George Floyd sparked a movement that shouldn’t be needed. He did not need to die, but he did because we have kept our heads in the sand for far too long. As a brown woman of colour, I know what it is like to be judged by my appearance but I will never know what it is like to be a black person in North America. Some people may feel that because we live in Canada we are immune from racism. We are all equal here, right? Unfortunately, that is far from the reality, and the sooner we come to terms with that, the sooner we can make real change. Black people in Toronto are 20 times more likely to be shot DEAD by the police. The Black community makes up 3.4% of Canada’s population and 9% of police fatalities. And we don’t just oppress Black people Canada, we also bring down the Indigenous community. Indigenous people make up 4.8% of Canada’s population and 15% of police fatalities. The protests this weekend are cry of anger from a community that is tired. Tired of being pushed down and ignored. We can and must do better.

Racism is a mental health issue. The lived experience shows us that and the research is showing us that as well. Several studies show that racism has a negative impact on the mental health for racialized groups. The compounded impacted of social inequality, systemic racial discrimination, marginalization of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) has a debilitating impact on the mental health for the members of these communities. BIPOC have higher rates of anxiety, stress, and stress related illness (e.g. high blood pressure, and heart disease), high risk of depression and suicide, lower self-esteem, and higher risk of addiction and exposure to violence. Although these groups are suffering, they also have the most significant gaps in services. There are systemic challenges BIPOC individuals face when trying to receive treatment including lack of access, culturally inappropriate services, and problematic physical location.

If you are meeting with a therapist, race is a topic that should be coming up, especially if you are a BIPOC. It is important to be able unpack how racism has impacted you and to feel that you  able to talk about it and understand what role it plays in your overall mental health. Cultural competency is a key training for all therapists and they should be able to engage in that discussion with you.

Part of getting the support you need is also making sure that there is a fit between you and the resources you are accessing. In order to address the mental health needs in the Black community it is important for people to be able to access to resources that understand their struggle. Below is a list of mental health resources in Toronto for the Black community: 

TAIBU Community Health Centre
The Black Health Alliance 
Across Boundaries 
Rexdale Community Health Centre 
Black Creek Community Health Centre 
Women’s Health In Women’s Hands