Addressing anti-Black racism is key to improving well-being of Black Canadians

• Anti-Black racism continues to be a major determinant of poor health and social outcomes for Black Canadians.
• Addressing this racism within Canadian institutions — like the health-care system, justice system, the child welfare system and education — has far-reaching implications.
• Moreover, in the early days of the pandemic, living in a Black community was strongly correlated with a diagnosis of COVID-19.

Contemporary and historical inequities

• Black Canadians’ experiences are rooted in contemporary and historical inequities, including Canada’s history of slavery and racial discrimination.
• Policy formulations still shape access to material resources and contribute to structural inequities in Canada, evident in the pervasive low incomes of Black Canadians.
• While median annual wages generally increase for the Canadian population, Black men’s wages have remained stagnant.

Black youth mental health

• Black youth spoke most about racism in our research on their mental health experiences.
• Read more:
  Black men's mental health concerns are going unnoticed and unaddressed

  Income inequality and insufficient financial resources are complicating factors, impeding many young Black men from getting the counselling they need to improve their mental health.

• LGBTQIA+ Black youth may face dire situations, experiencing racism within the LGBTQIA+ community and homophobia within the Black community.

Addressing inequities

• Partnering with Black communities is a crucial component in effective efforts to mitigate inequities.
• Indeed, it is essential that Black community members participate, to capitalize on their strengths and actively engage in improving their well-being.
• Through my personal and professional experiences, I’ve had a unique glimpse into the brilliance and strengths of various Black communities, which are often untapped.
• Institutions must do more than just provide education and develop anti-racist policies; they must also ensure accountability in addressing racism.

Looking ahead

• However, anti-Black racism has consequences for population outcomes for all Canadians, as we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• These moves will improve health and social outcomes for Black Canadians and generate stronger population outcomes in Canada.

Bukola Salami receives funding from Policywise for Children and Families for a project on mental health of Black youth named in this article