MISSION

As influencers, enablers and convenors, we work to improve the health and well-being of Black communities in Canada.

VISION

A Canada where Black communities, in all our diversity, enjoy optimal health and well-being, and thrive

VALUES & PRINCIPLES

Africentricity

We recognize that our common ancestry and shared experience of facing anti-Black racism and colonialism serves as an anchor to building healthy and resilient communities. As such, we strive to centre the needs, histories, cultural expressions and lived experiences of Black people in all our diversity through our work. We acknowledge that Black people’s social identities are multiple and interlocking and that health inequities must be viewed and addressed through an intersectional lens which includes, but is not limited to; race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, disability, and immigration status.

Social justice

We centre social justice as a fundamental principle in our work and recognize the multiple and compounding ways that our identities and social locations intersect with our health and wellbeing. Our work is grounded in an anti-racist, anti-oppressive framework and a commitment to ensuring an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment. We actively seek to dismantle systematic barriers that impact our health. We specifically strive to centre Black two-spirit, queer, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, gender-expansive, and non-binary, as well as Black Muslim and Afro-Indigenous communities in our work.

Partnership

We believe that to improve the health and well-being of Black communities, we must collaborate and work in partnerships. Strong partnerships are founded on common objectives, values, reciprocity and accountability. To achieve collective impact, we rely on common agendas, shared measurement systems, mutually reinforcing activities, and continuous communication and backbone support. We see partnership as integral to community and capacity building and we believe that by leveraging our strengths and ingenuity cooperatively, we can dismantle barriers.

Catalytic Leadership

We strive to ignite our communities and be at the forefront of driving change, and delivering results. We believe that leadership begins with a strong shared vision and a commitment to build networks and engage seasoned and emerging leaders across sectors. We are committed to promoting and fostering Black leadership, centering our agency and platforming our voices to deliver results and impact.

WHAT WE DO

We centre Black communities in defining the challenges and barriers affecting our health and well-being. We provide a platform for Black people to establish a common voice around systemic problems, and we work to co-design and mobilize the tools, skills, partnerships and investment needed to implement solutions that improve health outcomes across Canada.

WHO WE SERVE

We serve all Black people and recognize our diversity as our strength. We understand that despite our many differences, we are united by our shared history, ingenuity and resourcefulness and that together, we will find lasting solutions to the systemic and structural barriers tha compromise our health and well-being.

OUR APPROACH

We invest in the community through an approach that starts with listening to communities. We ensure every solution we co-create is built on a foundation of solid data, a shared vision, and moves quickly from idea to implementation — always with the goal of systems-level change.

OUR TEAM

STAFF

Paul Bailey

Executive Director


(EN)

Melissa Booker

Researcher


(EN)

Ameerah Craigg

Manager Health Promotion & Community Engagement


(EN)

Tiyondah Fante-Coleman

Researcher


(EN)

Maame Obeng

Program Manager


(EN)

Deneece Plummer

Health Promotion Specialist


(EN/FR)

(On Leave)

Racquel Simpson

Program Manager


(EN)

Fiqir Worku

Researcher


(EN)

Joy Nortei

Health Promotion Specialist


(EN)

Danayi Munyati

Health Promotion Specialist


(EN)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Lydia-Joi Marshall

Chair


Samiya Abdi

Vice-Chair


Ngozi Iroanyah

Secretary


Adrian Palmer

Treasurer


Dr. Adom Bondzi-Simpson

Director


Phil Gagnon-Joseph

Director


Tatenda Musewe

Director


Sume Ndume-Eyoh

Director


Bukola Salami

Director


OUR HISTORY

The Black Health Alliance is established. Our Founder, Dr. Christopher Morgan, seeks to bring influencers and organizations together to advocate for Black Health.

2000

Black Health Alliance makes a submission to the Commission on the Future of Healthcare in Canada. It was one of a few which discussed racial disparities in healthcare facing Black Canadians and provided workable solutions, making recommendations to create an equitable, and sustainable healthcare system.

2002

The Black Health Alliance leads a major research study: How do Black youth in Scarborough Access Healthcare?

2005

Black Health Alliance is awarded $900,000 in funding from the Government of Ontario to establish TAIBU Community Health Centre, an organization with the primary mandate to serve the Black communities across the Greater Toronto Area.

2006

BHA becomes a registered charity.

2012

Successful grant application for cervical and breast cancer project – in collaboration with professionals from St. Michael’s Hospital; TAIBU CHC; McMaster University Health Sciences Centre and Olive Branch of Hope.

2014

A Sound Mind: Mental Health in the Black Community Forum. First of its kind, this forum generated open dialogue on the barriers, personal and systemic, that interfere with addressing mental illness in the Black community.

2015

Secured joint funding of $1M towards shifting the system around Black Youth Mental Health with CAMH, East Metro Youth Services, TAIBU and Wellesley Institute.

2018

2000

The Black Health Alliance is founded. Our founder, Dr. Chris Morgan, sought to bring influencers and organizations together to advocate for Black Health

2005

The Black Health Alliance leads a major research study: How do Black youth in Scarborough Access Healthcare?  

2006

BHA is awarded [insert amount] in funding from the Government of Ontario to establish TAIBU Community Health Centre

2012

BHA becomes a registered charity

2014

Successful grant application for cervical and breast cancer project – in collaboration with professionals from St. Michaels’ Hospital; TAIBU CHC; McMaster University Health Sciences Centre and Olive Branch of Hope.

2015

 A Sound Mind: Mental Health in the Black Community Forum. First of its kind, this forum generated open dialogue on the barriers, personal and systemic, that interfere with addressing mental illness in the Black community.

2018

Secured funding of towards shifting the system around Black Youth Mental Health.

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