National Black Canadians Summit

Event Summary

Let’s Talk Black Health/Parlons de la Santé Noir

The National Black Canadians Summit was created out of a call made from emerging artists of African descent, from Halifax, Toronto and Montreal, to confederate the efforts of Black individuals from across Canada, in order to see better outcomes for the community at large. To make this an inclusive and action-oriented summit, The Fondation Michaëlle Jean Foundation worked closely with local communities, lawmakers, private sector and different institutions.

The primary goal was to amplify the voices of the Black communities in Canada, to highlight their contributions to this land and to act to significantly reduce the obstacles they are faced with on their paths to success.

With the outbreak of the global pandemic, they were required to postpone the gathering planned for Halifax to July 2022. A series of virtual events were held beginning April 2021 to convene and mobilize the national Black community and move forward on our way to NBCS 2022. In April 2021, The Fondation Michaëlle Jean Foundation kicked off a series of virtual events that engaged Canadians in conversations around inclusion access to opportunities and solutions to anti-Black racism.

This was an engaging and powerful national conversation around the health of Black Canadians. This conversation featured three panelists who addressed the social determinants of health, systems, and taboos that create barriers to accessing adequate care.

This interactive discussion also examined the impact of COVID-19 on Black health. Our panelists explored these topics in a sensitive manner and recommended possible actions and solutions to address them.

Opening Remarks were made by The Right Honorable, Michaëlle Jean, and guests panelists such as Sharon Davis-Murdoch, Social Justice Champion & Co-President of the Health Association of African Canadians, Robert Seymour Wright, Clinician, Social Worker, and Sociologist and Tianne Lewis, Dietician. Moderator, Émilie Nicholas, Columnist with Le Devoir.

Nous vous invitons à vous joindre à nous pour participer à une conversation engagée et importante sur la santé des Canadiens noirs. Cette conversation mettra en avant trois panélistes qui aborderont les facteurs sociaux de la santé, les systèmes et les tabous qui créent des obstacles à l’accès à des soins adéquats.

Cette rencontre interactive permettra également d’examiner l’impact de COVID-19 sur la santé des Noirs. Nos panélistes aborderont ces sujets de manière délicate et formuleront des recommandations sur les actions et solutions à envisager pour y remédier.

Allocution d’ouverture par la très honorable Michaëlle Jean et invité-es dont Tianne Lewis, diététicienne, Sharon Davis-Murdoch, ambassadrice de la justice sociale et coprésidente de la Health Association of African Canadians et Robert Seymour Wright, clinicien, travailleur social et sociologue. Modératrice : Émilie Nicholas, chroniqueuse chez le Devoir. Ne manquez pas cet événement!