The Ingram School of Nursing (ISoN) celebrated Black History Month with a screening of the powerful documentary Breaking the Silence, a World Café focused on strategies for admissions, curriculum development, and program planning for Black nursing students, and a deep dive into Black culinary traditions. Powerful gatherings brought nurses, nurse educators, students and community members together to explore the injustices of the past, the challenges of the present and our plans for the future
Screening of Breaking the Silence highlights resilience of Black nurses
On the evening of January 24, La Maison de la Culture de Côte-des-Neiges hosted a powerful event focused on the experiences of Black nurses. The screening of the documentary Breaking the Silence, shed light on the systemic challenges, untold stories, and ongoing fight for equity among Black nurses, drawing attention to the resilience of Black nurses within the healthcare system.
The event was organized by the Association Québécoise des Infirmières et Infirmiers (AQII) and the Canadian Black Nursing Alliance (CBNA), in collaboration with the Black Community Engagement Initiative of the ISoN’s Office of Social Accountability in Nursing (OSAN).
Despina Sourias, town councillor, spoke on behalf of Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, Mayor of Côte-des-Neiges/Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, acknowledging the importance of such initiatives in raising awareness and driving change.
Following the screening, Jennifer Philogène, Quebec Section Manager of CBNA, moderated a panel discussion with the film’s producers, Ashley Glass and Deasa Dorsey, alongside Ovie Onagbeboma, Executive Director of CBNA. The audience, which included members of the ISoN community, actively engaged with thought-provoking questions, furthering the conversation on equity in the healthcare sector.
The event provided a space for connection and community-building, reinforcing the idea that shared experiences can foster stronger bonds and promote social change. By bringing these crucial conversations to the forefront, the gathering highlighted the ongoing need to combat anti-Black racism in nursing and strengthen the voices of Black nurses in the healthcare system.
World Café event addresses Black student pathway and nursing curriculum
In keeping with its commitment to addressing anti-Black racism, the Office of Social Accountability in Nursing (OSAN) hosted an engaging event titled World Café. Held on February 6 at the School, the event attracted an enthusiastic group of 30 Black community organizers and partners, ISoN faculty and students. “Bringing students, faculty and community members together to understand how we can better prepare nurses to meet the needs of the Black community is so powerful- frankly, it makes us better nurse educators,” said Assistant Professor Kimani Daniel, a member of the OSAN’s Black Community Engagement project.
After ISoN faculty members presented key initiatives at the School, participants engaged in café-style round-table discussions, brainstorming additional ideas and strategies for admissions, curriculum development, and program planning for Black students pursuing nursing.
Along with their professor, Heather Hart, several master’s students showcased their art displays reflecting strengths-based nursing. The artwork was created as part of their Seminar in Nursing course.
As noted by Black community member Deasy Helena, when fostering diversity and inclusion, involving the community in the decision-making process is vital. “We should always seek to truly understand to be able to respond. Don’t assume what I need—just ask me!”
Nourishing History: Honouring Black Culinary Traditions
On Feb 20, dietitian Sandrine Staco paid tribute to the rich and vibrant history of Black culinary traditions at a fun, informative and interactive event. Noting that typical representations of healthy food often exclude many cultural cuisines, particularly from Black countries, she emphasized that traditional cultural diets are often healthier than Western diets, containing more whole foods and fewer processed ingredients.
“Our food, our way of eating, our traditions, they’re all part of our identity,” Ms. Staco explained. This is especially true for immigrants. Studies show that maintaining cultural eating habits can lead to better health outcomes, a phenomenon often referred to as the “healthy immigrant effect”.
Ms. Staco recommended valuing diverse cultural foods within healthy eating guidelines, recognizing that vegetables can be cooked or included in mixed dishes (not just eaten raw), and acknowledging that healthy eating looks different for each person based on their culture, preferences, and circumstances. “Food is way more than just nutrients. It has many different roles. It can bring us together, help us celebrate, bring pleasure and comfort, bring memories, help us socialize, and connect us with our culture,” she said.
Sponsored by CBNA McGill and the Ingram School of Nursing, this event attracted 40 people in person who were joined by six online participants, including McGill students, faculty members and staff from the ISoN and other departments, several Black community partners, members of the Office of Social Accountability in Nursing and the ISoN’s Anti-Black Racism Committee. In-person guests were treated to delicious catered food representing Black culinary traditions and a beautiful collage art exhibit by artist Taina Mueth.
This story was originally published on the ISoN news webpage.