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Black communities have suffered disproportionately higher numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Canada. Recognizing the significance of supporting targeted strategies with vulnerable populations extends beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, as it addresses longstanding health disparities and promotes equitable access to healthcare. The present study investigated 1) experiences with COVID-19, 2) COVID-19's impact, and 3) factors that have influenced COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and uptake among stakeholders and partners from the Federation of Black Canadians' (FBC). We conducted semi-structured interviews with 130 individuals and four focus groups with FBC, including stakeholders and partners, between November 2021 and June 2022. The semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were conducted virtually over Zoom and lasted about 45 minutes each. Conversations from interviews and focus groups were transcribed and coded professionally using team-based methods. Themes were developed using an inductive-deductive approach and defined through consensus. The deductive approach was based on Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) domains and constructs. First, regarding experiences with COVID-19, 36 codes were identified and mapped onto 13 themes. Prominent themes included 39 participants who experienced highly severe COVID-19 infections, 25 who experienced stigma, and 18 who reported long recovery times. Second, COVID-19 elicited lifestyle changes, with 23 themes emerging from 62 codes. As many as 97 participants expressed feelings of isolation, while 63 reported restricted mobility. Finally, participants discussed determinants that influenced their vaccination decisions, in which 46 barriers and four facilitators were identified and mapped onto nine overarching themes. Themes around the CFIR domains Individuals, Inner Setting, and Outer Setting were most prominent concerning vaccine adoption. As for barriers associated with the constructs limited available resources and low motivation, 55 (41%) and 46 (34%) of participants, respectively, mentioned them most frequently. Other frequently mentioned barriers to COVID-19 vaccines fell under the construct policies & laws, e.g., vaccine mandates as a condition of employment. Overall, these findings provide a comprehensive and contextually rich understanding of pandemic experiences and impact, along with determinants that have influenced participants' vaccination decisions. Furthermore, the data revealed diverse experiences within Black communities, including severe infections, stigma, and vaccine-related challenges, highlighting the importance of targeted interventions, support, and consideration of social determinants of health in addressing these effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Canadian health care system has been the site of a tense relationship between blood donation policies and African Canadians (read as Blacks). This article explores the basis of that strain, specifically the Canadian blood system's African Indefinite Deferral Policy and its relative underpinnings to, for example, the Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease Deferral Policy. Drawing from various data sources, the article demonstrates the subtle and diffuse aspects of the deferral policies in terms of the relationship between ethnicity and risk. The analysis provides important insights on the policies, based on the pejorative usage of ethnicity, especially its racial context, and related power dynamics, into understanding the lasting and plagued relationship that Blacks have had with the blood donation regime. Addressing questions around the institutional capacity of Canadian Blood Services and Héma Québec in dealing with minority ethnic groups is essential, particularly if the objective of blood donation policies is to address the health needs of Canada's increasingly diverse population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pregnancy and childbirth have become a dangerous journey for Black women as harrowing stories of death and near‐death experiences resonate within Black communities. While the causes of pregnancy‐related morbidity and mortality are well documented, little is known about how Black Canadian women feel protected from undesirable maternal health outcomes when accessing and receiving pregnancy and intrapartum care. This critical qualitative inquiry sheds light on Black women's perceived sense of safety in accessing pregnancy and intrapartum care. Twenty‐four in‐depth interviews were conducted with Black women who were pregnant or had given birth. Five interconnected themes were generated through thematic analysis: (1) There is a lot of prejudice towards us, (2) We are treated as sick bodies, (3) There is a lot of stereotypes towards us, (4) Our care is lacking in quality, and (5) We feel unsafe in the healthcare system. These themes highlight the perils faced by Black women accessing pregnancy and intrapartum care. The right to safe motherhood and equitable care for Black women should be a national priority in Canada to avert a looming crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black youth have consistently reported that when they are transitioning from out-of-home care (OOHC) into independence, they are not supported or included in decision-making, and they feel isolated and vulnerable as they face an uncertain future. Previous research has documented the ways in which Black youths' experiences in care are characterized by unpredictability and loss, but then care ends—and they continue to struggle. For Black youth in care, this transition can be exceptionally difficult as they are contending with the additional strain of doing so within the child welfare system and larger social context characterized by a loss of community and the persistence of anti-Black racism. Presently, there are no empirical studies in Ontario that investigate Black youth's narratives transitioning from OOHC; this manuscript seeks to fill this gap in knowledge. Employing Adultification and Anti-Black Racism Theory as theoretical frameworks, this qualitative study investigated the narratives of 27 Black youth with lived experiences navigating OOHC in Ontario's child welfare system. This study utilized narrative inquiry as a methodological approach. Three main narratives were identified: (1) the need for finances and a financial literacy; (2) narratives of aging out and (3) the challenges of navigating funding. To better support Black youth in their transition out of care and in independent living, recommendations for policy and practice include earlier transitional support, ensuring youth have a practical understanding of financial literacy, and educating youth about resources and their rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an interview with Michele Johnson, focusing on researching Caribbean and Black Canadian history. Topics include gender and women's lives in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Jamaica, the intersections between Caribbean and Black Canadian history, and historical methodology, particularly the use of oral sources to uncover women's past experiences in both regions.

Despite a longstanding relationship with hockey, Black Canadians are typically erased from dominant histories of Canada and sport. Erasure is detrimental to Black prosperity because it encourages social death, a process that socially marginalizes and dehumanizes Black Canadians. In response to Black erasure, we detail counter-narratives that challenge the historically whitewashed account of hockey's origin in Canada. We celebrate the impact and contributions of Black Canadians, who transformed hockey while using it as a sport-for-development vehicle in the 19th and 20th century. Given the centrality of hockey to Canadian nationalism, we suggest that Black erasure within sport and society is an attempt at Black social death within Canada. By highlighting the sport development and sport-for-development work of Black Canadians, our objective is to confront Black erasure and exclusion. That way, Black presence becomes less surprising in the grand narrative of Canada, and Black social death becomes less certain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Improving equity and early access to palliative care for underserved populations in Canada is a priority. Little is known regarding access to palliative and end-of-life care in the Black population. Methods: We undertook a scoping review using the framework by Arksey and O'Malley to identify knowledge, access gaps, and experiences of palliative and end-of-life care among Blacks living with life-limiting illnesses in Canada. Primary studies, discussion papers, books, and reports were considered eligible. We followed a comprehensive search strategy developed by an information scientist. Searches were performed in the following bibliographic databases: Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO via OVID, CINAHL via EBSCOhost, Scopus and Cochrane Library via Wiley. The search strategy was derived from three main concepts: (1) Black people; (2) Canada and Canadian provinces; (3) Palliative, hospice, or end-of-life care. No publication date or language limits were applied. Titles and abstracts were screened for eligibility by one reviewer and full text by two independent reviewers. Results: The search yielded 233 articles. Nineteen articles were selected for full-text review, and 7 articles met the inclusion criteria. These studies were published between 2010 and 2021, and conducted in the provinces of Ontario and Nova Scotia only. Studies used both quantitative and qualitative methods and included cancer decedents, next of kin, family caregivers and religious leaders. Sample sizes in various studies ranged from 6 − 2,606 participants. Included studies reported a general lack of understanding about palliative and end-of-life care, positive and negative experiences, and limited access to palliative and end-of-life care for Blacks, across all care settings. Conclusion: Findings suggest limited knowledge of palliative care and inequities in access to palliative and end-of-life care for Blacks living with life-limiting illnesses in 2 Canadian provinces. There is an urgent need for research to inform tailored and culturally acceptable strategies to improve understanding and access to palliative care and end-of-life care among Blacks in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues that Black Canadian Garveyite women in Toronto were Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) leaders and institution builders. During the interwar years, Black women implemented Garveyism as an intraracial grassroots practice in their local environs, harnessing Garveyite principles to tangibly improve the "standard of life" for Black people in their city. Through their Community Hall, Garveyite women ensured their division's fiscal stability, fostered racial solidarity, and instilled essential intellectual skills and Garveyite values among youth. These leaders deweaponized racial stigma by building up Black people's collective social esteem as an identifiable racialized group of Canadians. Drawing insights from diverse primary sources, including understudied oral history interviews, archival records, organizational records, and national and international newspapers, this article illuminates Black women's understudied political labor. It unveils the wealth of Black history available when patriarchal and white supremacist norms are decentered. New analytical possibilities can be pursued when Black communities and Black liberation are recentered as the standard for evaluating Black activism intentions, motivations, methods, and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the perceptions of Canadian Jews regarding the current climate of opinion. A survey reveals that many Canadian Jews feel unsafe and victimized, with a majority feeling less safe than they did five years ago. They also believe that antisemitism is widespread and increasing in Canada. Canadian Jews see themselves as the group facing the most discrimination in Canadian society. The article explores the association between feeling unsafe and emotional attachment to Israel, as well as perceptions of attitudes towards Jews among different groups. It also discusses experiences of anti-Jewish discrimination and how certain statements are perceived as antisemitic. The article addresses concerns about sample bias and the impact of the Israel-Hamas war on the emotional attachment of Canadian Jews to Israel. [Extracted from the article]

When Robin Winks' Blacks in Canada hit stores fifty years ago, critics heaped scorn on the idea of there being such a thing as African Canadian history – never mind a history worth telling. In the decades since, African Canadian history has blossomed from a topic that seemed the work of a curious few, to a field that has secured some of the highest awards and praise in Canadian history. This article explores the slippery uses of African American and African Canadian histories; Black Canadian historiography; critics of the canon; remaining gaps in the field; and new scholarship by some of the scholars – both the young and the seasoned – who are breaking new ground in African Canadian history. It also discusses podcasts, documentaries, websites, and television productions about African Canadian history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated health inequities worldwide. Research conducted in Canada shows that Black populations were disproportionately exposed to COVID-19 and more likely than other ethnoracial groups to be infected and hospitalized. This scoping review sought to map out the nature and extent of current research on COVID-19 among Black people in Canada. Methods: Following a five-stage methodological framework for conducting scoping reviews, studies exploring the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Black people in Canada, published up to May 2023, were retrieved through a systematic search of seven databases. Of 457 identified records, 124 duplicates and 279 additional records were excluded after title and abstract screening. Of the remaining 54 articles, 39 were excluded after full-text screening; 2 articles were manually picked from the reference lists of the included articles. In total, 17 articles were included in this review. Results: Our review found higher rates of COVID-19 infections and lower rates of COVID-19 screening and vaccine uptake among Black Canadians due to pre-COVID-19 experiences of institutional and structural racism, health inequities and a mistrust of health care professionals that further impeded access to health care. Misinformation about COVID-19 exacerbated mental health issues among Black Canadians. Conclusion: Our findings suggest the need to address social inequities experienced by Black Canadians, particularly those related to unequal access to employment and health care. Collecting race-based data on COVID-19 could inform policy formulation to address racial discrimination in access to health care, quality housing and employment, resolve inequities and improve the health and well-being of Black people in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Black Canadians report experiencing various forms of racial discrimination disproportionately. This study aimed to: (a) examine the association between everyday racial discrimination and self-esteem; (b) test the mediating role of internalized racism and social support in the association between racial discrimination and self-esteem, and (c) test the moderating role of gender and age in this same relationship. Method: A total of 860 participants (76.60% female) aged 15–40 (Mage = 24.96, SD = 6.31) completed questionnaires assessing racial discrimination, self-esteem, internalized racism, and social support. Descriptive and moderated mediation analyses were performed. Results: A total of 65.33% of participants were categorized as endorsing low self-esteem, with no significant difference between males and females (66.67% and 62.20%, respectively; χ2 = 1.56, p =.47). Participants aged 25–40 exhibited a higher prevalence of low self-esteem compared to those aged 15–24 (89.91% and 58.54%, respectively, χ2 = 37.31, p <.001). The results showed a progressive increase in the prevalence of low self-esteem commensurate with increasing levels of reported racial discrimination. Internalized racism (β = −.09, SE =.01, p <.001) and social support (β =.10, SE =.01, p <.001) mediated the association between everyday racial discrimination and self-esteem; whereas gender moderated the latter association (β =.17, SE =.04, p <.001; being a woman). Conclusions: Results indicate a strong association between racial discrimination and low self-esteem. These findings provide a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the development of self-esteem problems among Black individuals in Canada. They also have important relevance for the development of educational and clinical programs for prevention and intervention. Public Significance Statement: The findings of this study reveal that in our sample two out of three Black Canadians experience low self-esteem. This study also shows that low self-esteem among Black Canadians is strongly related to everyday racial discrimination experiences. Results also indicate that internalized racism is a significant risk factor for low self-esteem, whereas social support is a protective factor. Being a woman amplifies the risk of experiencing low self-esteem among Black Canadians who have experienced racial discrimination. These findings are relevant to the development of prevention and intervention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the importance of intersectionality in research on anti-Black racism and healthcare equity in Canada. It highlights that the experiences of anti-Black racism in healthcare are diverse and often overlooked. The article emphasizes the heterogeneity within Canada's Black communities, including differences in ethnicity, language, religion, and immigration experiences. It also explores how intersecting factors such as gender, sexuality, class, and skin tone shape experiences of racism. The article argues that acknowledging this heterogeneity is crucial for developing more equitable healthcare systems and improving health outcomes for Black patients. [Extracted from the article]

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This article focuses on the need identified by African Canadian students for a "racial oasis" – a physical space designed to increase their exposure to positive racial identities - which can support them in developing a community of support among peers who understand the effects of anti-Black racism, and to identify strategies for coping with racism. Research participants were drawn from a program developed to support African Canadian students navigate post-secondary schooling in Ontario, Canada. Participants indicated that safe spaces were central to developing a positive racial identity, and that these spaces provided opportunities for them to critically reframe their racialized identity. Participants also suggested that the development of a positive racial identity supports degree perseverance and educational pursuits. This research indicates that institutions must be intentional in providing the resources necessary to foster positive racial identity socailization amongst Black students and underscores the benefits of providing "racial oases" in schools, community organizations, and workplaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Canadian Nova Scotian education system, the Individualised Program Plan (IPP) is designed to support students for whom the public school programme curriculum outcomes are not applicable or attainable. Schools can also place students in IPP programmes based on their behaviour. For minority students, especially Blacks, evaluation reports indicate their over-representation in these programmes and, therefore, the need for this research. Through intersectionality analysis of a household survey, our study explores how students’ multiple identities impact their designation as IPP. Our analysis indicated that schools tend to place Black male/female students from non-immigrant households with low socioeconomic backgrounds in IPP programmes making students with these multiple identities the most vulnerable. We argue for an intersectionality framework to address this challenge and inform the implementation of the current Nova Scotia inclusive education policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vaccine hesitancy exists on a continuum ranging between complete adherence and complete refusal due to doubts or concerns within a heterogeneous group of individuals. Despite widespread acknowledgement of the contextual factors influencing attitudes and beliefs shaping COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, qualitative research with equity-deserving groups, accounting for unique lived experiences, remains a gap in the literature. We aim to identify and begin to understand and document the unique contextual factors shaping hesitancy by equity-deserving groups as it relates to relationships with government and health authorities. Methods: Participants were recruited and interviewed between Aug-Dec 2021. Semi-structured interviews using a convergent interviewing technique were conducted with individuals from the general population, as well as individuals who identify as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit, members of the LGBT2SQ + community, low-income Canadians, Black Canadians, and newcomers. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed by a team of researchers. Memos were written following interviews and used to complement the thematic analysis of the interview data. Themes are presented in the results section. Results: The rationale for hesitancy among equity-deserving groups is consistent with literature documenting hesitancy in the general population. Contextual factors surrounding equity-deserving groups' attitudes and beliefs, however, are unique and relate to a history of oppression, discrimination, and genocide. We identified factors unique to subgroups; for example, religious or fatalistic beliefs among participant who identify as FNMI, fear associated with lack of testing and speed of vaccines' production among participants who identify as FNMI, Black, and LGBT2SQ + , distrust of the healthcare system for LGBT2SQ + and Black Canadians, and distrust of the government and opposition to vaccine mandates for participating who identify as LGBT2SQ + , low-income, FNMI, or Black Canadian. Newcomers stood out as very trusting of the government and accepting of COVID-19 vaccination. Conclusions: While our data on vaccine hesitancy largely mirror concerns reported in the vast body of literature citing rationale for COVID-19 hesitancy in high-income countries, the contextual factors identified in our work point to the need for wider systemic change. Our results may be used to support efforts, beyond tailored promotion campaigns, to support the confident acceptance of vaccines for COVID-19 and the acceptance of novel vaccines as future infectious diseases emerge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability of governments and nations to handle crises and protect the lives of citizens is heavily dependent on the public's trust in their governments and related social institutions. The aim of the present research was to understand public trust in government during a time of crisis, drawing on interview data (N = 56) collected during the COVID-19 pandemic (2021). In addition to the general public (n = 11), participants were sampled to obtain diversity as it relates to identifying as First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (n = 7), LGBT2SQ+ (n = 5), low-income (n = 8), Black Canadians (n = 7), young adult (n = 8), and newcomers to Canada (n = 10). Data were coded in consideration of social theories of trust, and specifically the nature of trust between individuals and institutions working with government in pandemic management. Canadians' trust in government was shaped by perceptions of pandemic communication, as well as decision-making and implementation of countermeasures. Data suggest that although participants did not trust government, they were accepting of measures and messages as presented through government channels, pointing to the importance of (re)building trust in government. Perhaps more importantly however, data indicate that resources should be invested in monitoring and evaluating public perception of individuals and institutions generating the evidence-base used to guide government communication and decision-making to ensure trust is maintained. Theoretically, our work adds to our understanding of the nature of trust as it relates to the association between interpersonal and institutional trust, and also the nature of trust across institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes to look back onto the Black Canadian works produced around the turn of the twenty-first century to establish some of the decolonial practices they promoted, arguing that they remain pivotal in decentering the colonial gaze that to this day is at the root of anti-Black hatred. In the face of continued structural violence and anti-Black racism preeminent across Canada to date, it attempts to unpack the purpose and means deployed in their early texts by two pioneer Black Canadian women writers, Djanet Sears and M. NourbeSe Philip, to decolonize African cultural memory from the diaspora by teaching us to value African legacies outside of Eurocentric standards. Drawing from feminist anthropologist Rita Segato, it contends that these texts perform a "counter-pedagogy of cruelty," that is, an act of resistance to all those sociocultural practices by which people are taught, trained, and hardened to the ongoing commodification of others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interview is presented with Canadian poet and playwright George Elliott Clarke. He discusses his experiences as an African Canadian with Cherokee ancestry, his poetry collection "Whylah Falls" and his essay-in-poetry "J’Accuse...!: (Poem Versus Silence)," and his correspondence with convicted murderer Steven Kummerfield.

Second, in the conclusion, although careful not to claim that history can predict the future, Backhouse identifies a plethora of unanswered questions about racism in the Canadian legal system that are highlighted by the I RDS i case. During the trial, youth court Judge Corrine Sparks, the first Black female judge appointed in Canada, acquitted the youth, noting in part that "sometimes white police officers overreact.". [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on the history of African North Americans in Great Lakes cities between 1920 and 1950. The author discusses diasporic Africans, including African Americans, African Canadians, and immigrants from the Caribbean, explores their dislocation, relocation, and rootedness, and examines how they imagined a pan-African zone in the Great Lakes region.

The article focuses on arts-informed research methodology grounded in Black motherwork theory. It explore Black Canadian mothers' deeply rooted tradition of using artistic methodologies to articulate everyday experiences, histories, and dreams and how a group of Black Canadian mothers who are adult literacy learners living in Toronto. It also mentions Black motherwork is an act of resistance, essential to Black mothers' fight against racism and sexism.

The Underground Railroad remains a popular feature in Canadian narratives. However, public discourse on the subject does not often reach much further than presenting a story of weary enslaved persons finding their way to freedom and happiness in Canada. The communities that they built and who these enslaved persons were outside of their enslaved status is rarely discussed. This uncomplicated telling of history allows Canadians to hold their country up as a historical champion of human rights and use Underground Railroad communities to prove a track record of equality in Canada that misrepresents the historical record. This article discusses the nature of Canadians' fixation on the Underground Railroad narrative and Canada's historical uses for this romanticized mythology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Canada, two of five individuals will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and one in four will die from this disease. Given the disparities observed in health research among Black individuals, we conducted a scoping review to analyze the state of cancer research in Canadian Black communities regarding prevalence, incidence, screening, mortality, and related factors to observe advances and identify gaps and disparities. Methods: A comprehensive search strategy was developed and executed in December 2021 across 10 databases (e.g., Embase). Of 3451 studies generated by the search, 19 were retained for extraction and included in this study. Results: Studies were focused on a variety of cancer types among Black individuals including anal, breast, cervical, colorectal, gastric, lung, and prostate cancers. They included data on incidence, stage of cancer at diagnosis, type of care received, diagnostic interval length, and screening. A few studies also demonstrated racial disparities among Black individuals. This research reveals disparities in screening, incidence, and quality of care among Black individuals in Canada. Conclusions: Given the gaps observed in cancer studies among Black individuals, federal and provincial governments and universities should consider creating special funds to generate research on this important health issue. Plain language summary: Important gaps were observed on research on cancer among Black communities in Canada. Studies included in the scoping review highlights disparities in screening, incidence, and quality of care among Black individuals in Canada. Important gaps were observed on research on cancer among Black communities in Canada. Studies included in this scoping review highlight disparities in screening, incidence, and quality of care among Black individuals in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the early years of the 20th century, African-American steelworkers were recruited to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. This short article examines experiences of raciam and antiblackness in housing and employment., Today in Sydney Nova Scotia, a handful of monuments serve as a public commemoration of the years when steelmaking was the main source of industry in that region. Sydney became [...]

Background: Black Canadian communities are disproportionately impacted by HIV. To help address this challenge, we undertook research to engage heterosexual Black men in critical dialogue about resilience and vulnerability. They articulated the necessity of making health services 'cool'. Methods: We draw on the analyses of focus groups and in-depth interviews with 69 self-identified heterosexual Black men and 12 service providers who took part in the 2016 Toronto arm of the weSpeak study to explore what it means to make health and HIV services 'cool' for heterosexual Black Canadian men. Results: Our findings revealed four themes on making health services cool: (1) health promotion as a function of Black family systems; (2) opportunities for healthy dialogue among peers through non-judgmental interactions; (3) partnering Black men in intervention design; and (4) strengthening institutional health literacy on Black men's health. Conclusions: We discuss the implications of these findings for improving the health of Black Canadians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay identifies Canada's recognition of the United Nations Declaration for People of African Descent (UNDPAD) as a multiculturalist iteration. In this scope, the essay discusses the Community Support, Multiculturalism and Anti‐Racism Initiatives (CSMARI) program as a central element of state multiculturalism, through which Canada plans to meet commitments to Black Canadians—and by extension, the UNDPAD. Although the CSMARI program is well intended, it causes harm to Black Canadians by reinscribing stereotyped material lack and other forms of racialized scarcity. Rather than address longstanding social‐economic histories that sustain racialized poverty, state multiculturalism policy inadvertently reinforces these. The CSMARI program's focus on material lack as opposed to the systemic aspects that underpin these, amplifies Canada's multicultural myth of inclusivity while leaving unquestioned the cultural barriers that block Black citizens. State multiculturalism policy maintains the status quo by commodifying and depoliticizing anti‐racism, while also neutralizing the language of naming experiences of exclusion. This essay adapts an anti‐Black racism feminist theory to recast state multiculturalism as, implicitly, a cause of harm. The paper questions 'good intentions' that 'do harm' as a critical reflection that speaks to the dissonance expressed by Black Canadians, despite state multiculturalism policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on unsatisfactory social, economic, educational, employment, and health conditions of Black Canadians being addressed knowing the historical legacy of systemic anti-Black racism. It mentions purposeful measures by which they would be able to gain access to employment, education, social, health and other services. It also mentions promise of multiculturalism and Employment Equity policies and programs.

Recently, there is increasing awareness of the magnitude of anti‐Black racism. As a consequence, several school administrations reiterated their commitment to foster an inclusive school climate and to challenge discrimination, including anti‐Black racism. Critical hope is a theoretical concept that is considered essential to accomplish in‐depth transformations to fight social injustices. Duncan‐Andrade (2009) distinguishes three elements that produce critical hope in school settings: material hope, Socratic hope, and audacious hope. This article draws from data collected during a bilingual qualitative study conducted with African Canadians in Nova Scotia, including immigrants and African Nova‐Scotians. The analysis of semi‐structured interviews and focus groups conducted with 60 participants revealed the role of critical hope within critical pedagogy frameworks, including an anti‐racist approach, to promote the development of concrete actions and critical consciousness among school personnel, while avoiding false hopes, cynicism, discouragement, or fatalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The criminalization of Black people in Canada, and their relative distrust of systems of criminal justice, are well‐established realities. Here, we problematize the monolithic construction of Blackness implied in this statement. Interrogating differences in African‐born immigrants' responses on the General Social Survey, we build on existing theories regarding the 1.5 generation of immigrants in order to demonstrate that those Black immigrants who arrived as children, grew up in Canada, and participated in Canadian education, labour markets, and other institutions of socialization, are the most likely to distrust police, systems of criminal justice and Canadian institutions more generally. We theorize that, contrary to prevailing opinions regarding the ways in which distrust in Black communities stems from wariness of law enforcement in home countries, Canadian system avoidance is led by Black people who are from Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After a reckoning with its own history of anti-Black admissions policies, the School of Medicine at Queen's University chose to make this history a permanent fixture of its undergraduate curriculum. Although increased physician diversity has been shown to improve patient care and reduce health care disparities,[1],[2] the current demographics of the profession do not reflect the population of Canada as a whole, including the proportion of Black Canadians. Anti-Black admissions policies at Queen's School of Medicine In 1918, Queen's University instituted a ban on Black medical students, pressuring its 15 Black students to leave the program and barring future admissions (Figure 1). [Extracted from the article]

This study explores the social determinants of Black Canadians' exposure to everyday racism, its relationship to health system access, and implications for health promotion. We used data from the A/C Study survey on HIV transmission and prevention among Black Canadians. We implemented the survey (N = 1360) in 2018-2019 in Toronto and Ottawa-two large cities that together account for 42% of Canada's Black population-among self-identified Black residents aged 15-64 years, who were born in sub-Sahara Africa or the Caribbean or had a parent who was born in those regions. Participants reported racist encounters in the preceding 12 months using the Everyday Discrimination Scale. We assessed the socio-demographic correlates of racist experiences and the impact of racism on health system access using multivariable generalised linear models. Sixty percent of participants reported experiencing racism in the preceding 12 months. Based on the adjusted odds ratios, participants were more likely to experience racism if they were older, employed, Canadian-born, had higher levels of education, self-identified as LGBTQ + and reported generally moderate access to basic needs and adequate housing; and less likely to experience racism if they lived in Ottawa, self-identified as female or reported higher levels of social capital. Visiting a healthcare provider or facility, and difficulty accessing healthcare were associated with racist experiences. Racist experiences diminished the likelihood of being tested for HIV. Racist experiences were widespread, especially among those with higher levels of social wellbeing or greater exposure to Canadian institutions. Study participants also associated racist experiences with the healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The overall goal was to synthesize knowledge on actions that need to be taken to promote health equity and the mental health of Black refugees in Canada. Group concept mapping systems were applied to generate and organize action-oriented statements related to the different social determinants of health. A total of 174 participants from the cities of Calgary and Edmonton with experience working with Black Canadians participated in four focus groups: (a) 2 focus groups that engaged 123 participants in brainstorming 84 statements guided by the following focus prompt: 'A specific action that would improve the mental health equity of Black refugees living in Canada is ... ' and (b) 2 focus groups of 51 participants who sorted the generated statements and rated them by order of 'importance' and 'ideas seen in action.' Data was further computed and analysed by the research team and a select advisory group from the participants. A 10-cluster map generated included the following clusters: (1) promoting cultural identity, (2) promoting ways of knowing, (3) addressing discrimination and racism, (4) addressing the criminalization of Black Canadians, (5) investing in employment for equity, (6) promoting equity in housing, (7) facilitating self-determination, (8) improving (public) services, (9) promoting appropriate and culturally relevant mental health services, and (10) working with and addressing faith and belief related issues. Clusters 4 and 9 ranked as the most important clusters in promoting health equity and the mental health of Black Canadians. Addressing the criminalization of Black Canadians through a range of rehumanizing interventions at institutional levels will provide a platform from which they can participate and engage others in developing appropriate and culturally relevant mental health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guided by the experiences and perspectives of sport practitioners, in this paper, an intersectional lens was used to examine age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, and religion and how they relate to the recruitment and participation of second-generation, low-income, African Canadian, Black Muslim, and Christian adolescent girls in a community-based basketball program in Ottawa, Canada. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 program coordinators and coaches involved in the City of Ottawa Community Centre Basketball League (CCBL), and reflexive thematic analysis of the data was engaged. The findings were threefold: (a) CCBL coordinators and coaches recognize the importance of representation to enhancing their support to program users; (b) CCBL coaches and coordinators make efforts to build trust with and increase buy-in from first-generation immigrant parents to improve girls' program participation; and (c) CCBL coaches and coordinators make religious accommodations in response to the needs of Muslim and Christian program users. The findings illustrated that community-based sport programs serving second-generation African Canadian adolescent girls in low-income communities require multifaceted program and outreach strategies that consider the intersecting social experiences of participants to improve recruitment and participation. To conclude, policy and program design and implementation strategies to support the creation of inclusive, equity-driven community-based sport practices were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While previous research explored the utilization of culturally supportive resources in multiethnic communities, there is a paucity of information regarding culturally relevant resources for Black Canadian family members. The study explored Black family members’ experiences and interpretations regarding access to culturally supportive resources for family members and their relatives who suffer from substance use disorders. Black family members are defined as African Canadians, Caribbean Canadians, or Caribbean Blacks. A focused ethnography was conducted with a purposive sample of 26 Black family members in Ontario, Canada. The interviews were conducted from June to September 2021. Seventeen participants originated from parts of Africa, and nine were from different parts of the Caribbean. The participants comprised mothers (n = 5), fathers (n = 2), step-fathers (n = 1), husbands (n = 1), wives (n = 2), uncles (n = 5), aunties (n = 2), siblings (n = 5), in-laws (n = 2), and guardians (n = 1). Leininger’s four Phases of Ethnonursing Qualitative Data Analysis were used for data analysis. Three themes were generated: (1) Navigating Existing Options and Resources for Families and Their Relatives; (2) Drawing upon Religion and Spirituality as Perceived Resources; and (3) Call for Culturally Relevant Programs for Substance Use Disorders Harm Reduction. Participants described experiencing a lack of culturally relevant resources and subsequently opting to navigate other resources. One such option was to send their relatives back to their country of origin to access cultural rehabilitation treatment options. There is a significant need for guidelines and policies regarding creating timely access to culturally relevant resources in Canada that support families and their relatives towards harm reduction and recovery outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides an infographic summarizing research on HIV among African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) people in Ontario, Canada. The research has been limited, with most studies focused in Ontario. According to provincial data from 2022, 29.8% of first-time HIV diagnoses in Ontario were among ACB people, and most infections are acquired within the province. The A/C study conducted in Toronto and Ottawa in 2018-2019 provided more insights, revealing that social determinants of health play a role in the prevalence of HIV among ACB people. The study also identified barriers to HIV testing and treatment, including racism, stigma, fear of deportation, lack of information, and poor relationships with healthcare providers. Access to healthcare and housing, employment, and education were also identified as areas where ACB people experience racism, potentially increasing their risk of acquiring HIV. [Extracted from the article]

SLĀV is a musical stage play directed by Robert Lepage, and based on recordings by singer Béatrice "Betty" Bonifassi. The recordings are Bonifassi's reinterpretations of music composed by enslaved and incarcerated African Americans--that is Black people labouring under, and resisting, the conditions of slavery and its afterlife. Though Lepage and Bonifassi promoted the show as an homage to Black people, SLĀV opened at the 2018 Montreal International Jazz Festival to protests by the SLĀV Resistance Collective, accusing it of cultural appropriation. SLĀV was eventually cancelled as Black artists began pulling out of the festival. Unsurprisingly, Lepage, Bonifassi and much of the Quebec public accused the protestors of censorship, and of misunderstanding Quebec's unique context. Situating its analysis within the field of Black Canadian Studies, in this article Howard examines the discourse around SLĀV as manifested through the words of Bonifassi, Lepage, journalists, and commenters. Howard argues that SLĀV instantiates the broader context of antiblackness in Quebec, and pays particular attention to gestures of inclusion and proximity consistent with modes of slavery and its afterlife in New France/Quebec. These gestures attempt to contain Blackness within national, linguistic, and other boundaries, disciplining the ways it is allowed to assert itself. Black resistance must therefore defy these boundaries and claim solidarity between and across variously located Black people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence and correlates of different forms of racial discrimination among Black Canadians are unknown. This article aims to examine the prevalence of different forms of racial discrimination (daily, major and microaggressions) and their association with self-esteem and satisfaction with life among Black Canadians. A convenience sample of 845 Black Canadians aged 15-40 was recruited. We assessed frequencies of everyday and major racial discrimination, and racial microaggressions against Black Canadians and their association with self-esteem and satisfaction with life, controlling for gender, age, job status, education, and matrimonial status. At least 4 out of 10 participants declared having being victims of everyday racial discrimination at least once per week. Between 46.3% and 64.2% of participants declared having been victims of major racial discrimination in various situations including education, job hiring, job dismissal, health services, housing, bank and loans, and police encounters. Significant gender differences were observed for everyday and major racial discrimination with higher frequencies among female participants. A total of 50.2% to 93.8% of participants declared having been victims of at least one episode of racial microaggressions. Results showed a significant negative association between racial discrimination and satisfaction with life (b = -0.26, p = .003), and selfesteem (b = -0.23, p = .009). This study highlights the need to stop colorblind policies in different sectors in Canada, and for a public commitment to combat racism at the municipal, provincial and federal levels. Implications are discussed for prevention, research and public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies in cultural psychology have suggested that when assessing a target person's emotion, East Asians are more likely to incorporate the background figure's emotion into the judgment of the target's emotion compared to North Americans. The objective of this study was to further examine cultural variation in emotion perception within a culturally diverse population that is representative of Canada's multicultural society. We aimed to see whether East-Asian Canadians tended to keep holistic tendencies of their heritage culture regarding emotion perception. Participants were presented with 60 cartoon images consisting of a central figure and four surrounding figures and were then asked to rate the central figure's emotion; out of the four cartoon figures, two were female and two were male. Each character was prepared with 5 different emotional settings with corresponding facial expressions including: extremely sad, moderately sad, neutral, moderately happy, and extremely happy. Each central figure was surrounded by a group of 4 background figures. As a group, the background figures either displayed a sad, happy, or neutral expression. The participant's task was to judge the intensity of the central figures' happiness or sadness on a 10-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 9 (extremely). For analysis, we divided the participants into three groups: European Canadians (N = 105), East Asian Canadians' (N = 104) and Non-East Asian/Non-European Canadians (N = 161). The breakdown for the Non-East Asian/Non-European Canadian group is as follows: 94 South Asian Canadians, 25 Middle Eastern Canadians, 23 African Canadians, 9 Indigenous Canadians, and 10 Latin/Central/South American Canadians. Results comparing European Canadians and East Asian Canadians demonstrated cultural variation in emotion judgment, indicating that East Asian Canadians were in general more likely than their European Canadian counterparts to be affected by the background figures' emotion. The study highlights important cultural variations in holistic and analytic patterns of emotional attention in the ethnically diverse Canadian society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]