THEN
Born out of a great social awakening surrounding anti-Black racism and structural oppression, BLACK MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS (a.k.a. BLACK MH MATTERS CANADA INC.) was established in 2020 by social workers/psychotherapists, Yemi Faderin and Susan Bascillo. Individuals across the Greater Toronto Area immediately acted and donated hundreds of thousands to support low-cost therapy for Black Canadians who could otherwise not afford it.
NOW
Donations helped us create programs that end stigma surrounding Black mental health, provide more low-cost therapy for those Black Canadians most in need of healing due to racial trauma, and conduct workshops that educate broader communities on the realities of anti-Black racism.
NEXT
We continue to be inspired.
As an official non-profit, we will
- work to improve outcomes for Black Canadians experiencing trauma from institutionalized violence, systemic racism and police brutality.
- equip Black clients, organizations and broader communities with the tools to identify the consequences of systemic racism and promote safer and more compassionate spaces.
- address a range of social barriers (e.g. Education-level, under-employment, housing insecurity etc.) which may lead to poorer mental health outcomes and negatively impact one’s well-being.