February 2023 marks the 28th official Black History Month in Canada. CPhA will be focusing our efforts this month on celebrating Black pharmacy professionals in Canada, amplifying their voices and raising awareness about Black health in Canada.
Primarily, we are pleased to support and promote A Black History to Remember 2023: The Canadian Pharmacy Edition. This campaign has been fully developed and launched by Mary Adegboyega and an incredible group of Black pharmacy professionals from across Canada who have worked tirelessly to create this campaign. Their campaign will celebrate and recognize Black pharmacy professionals in Canada and share more about how we can all better support Black patients.
Take a look below to learn more, and be sure to follow the campaign on LinkedIn and Instagram for daily content. We’ll update this page throughout the month with campaign highlights as they are released.
CPhA has also gathered some additional tools, information and resources to help support diversity, equity and inclusion for our Black pharmacist colleagues and the patients we serve. Happy Black History Month!
A Black History to Remember 2023: The Canadian Pharmacy Edition
Black History Month is an important time in the year to celebrate and recognize the Black community. It is also a time to discuss and share on how clinicians can support Black patients across our nation Canada.
In October 2022, Mary Adegboyega gathered pharmacy staff and students from all provinces across Canada to put together a pharmacy-focused Black History Month campaign for 2023. A Black History to Remember is a campaign that aims to celebrate Black pharmacy professionals in Canada and the great work they are doing to serve their communities. It aims to highlight the health conditions that affect Black patients (e.g., Sickle Cell Anemia, high blood pressure, diabetes, mental health trauma, etc.) and to share ways in which pharmacy professionals can support these patients. The campaign also includes several virtual events and aims to show the importance of representation in the pharmacy profession and to open up space for important conversations to happen.
A Black History to Remember 2023 will run from February 1-28. The campaign content will be shared on a number of social media platforms through the month of February and on CPhA’s website.
Hear more about the campaign and the importance of Black History Month from Mary:
Campaign tools, resources and information
- Using minor ailments prescribing to support black patients: How to appropriately recognize dermatological conditions on Black skin (PDF)
- Diabetes & the Black Community Myths: Debunked (PDF)
Social media accounts follow
Listening and learning are the first steps in creating change. Here are a few social media accounts you can check out to learn more about Black health and supporting Black patients and health professionals:
- University of Alberta Black Pharmacy Students’ Association: @bpsa_uofa (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook)
- University of Toronto Black Pharmacy Students’ Association: @uoftbpsa (Instagram)
- Mary Adegboyega: @OreSupasta (Instagram, YouTube, Twitter)
- Black Physicians of Canada: @blackphysiciansofcanada (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn)
- Dr. Bolanle Aina (Black pharmacist & medical writer in Winnipeg, MB): @dr.pharmabolly (Instagram)
- Moses Boachie (Black pharmacist & content creator in Quebec): @lepharmacoach (Instagram, TikTok)
- Chinelo Uddoh (Black pharmacist & digital health consultant for Deloitte in Ottawa): @a_digital_health_story (Instagram, YouTube)
- Havalee Johnson (Black internationally trained Pharmacist in Ontario): @immigrant_pharmassist (Instagram)
- Dr. Bimpe Ayeni (Black cosmetic surgeon at Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, ON): @drbimpe (Instagram, Facebook)
- Dr. Jude Obi (Black British doctor, who completed a fellowship at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto): @drjude_ (Instagram, YouTube, TikTok)
- Dr. Phyllis Pobee (Family & Cosmetic Physician, Ontario): @dr.phyllispobee (Instagram)
- Chidiebere Ibe (Medical illustrator for Black patients): @ebereillustrate (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook)
A Black History to Remember 2023: Upcoming events
You can join these virtual events this month:
Black Pharmacy Students Conference 2023: A Canadian National Gathering
This conference is a national gathering to connect Black Pharmacy Students across Canada with their peers. We will feature the current presidents of the two Black Pharmacy Student's Associations (BPSA) in Canada, a couple of excellent speakers, fun games and prizes to win. Get ready for an evening of celebration of Black joy! Feel free to bring snacks and wine for a fun virtual night together.
Who: Black pharmacy students across Canada
When: Tuesday, February 21 | 7pm ET
Black Pharmacists Virtual Networking Evening: Let’s Network
There is strength in numbers, and we believe in networking with other Black pharmacy professionals across our nation. This is not only beneficial for us as individuals, but also important for Black patients, Black pharmacy students & Black pharmacy professionals coming into Canada.
Who: Black pharmacy professionals from across Canada
When: Monday, February 27 | 8pm ET
CPhA is grateful to the creators of the A Black History to Remember campaign for their passion, vision and dedication to celebrating Black pharmacy in Canada.
CPhA clinical content
As part of our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, CPhA’s clinical editors have undertaken an extensive review of all CPhA clinical content in order to identify, assess and address instances of bias, racism or discrimination. Some of the specific initiatives that are currently underway include:
- Critically assess all content referring to race/skin colour to validate claims or update content
- Source and add images representing diverse skin colours
- Develop content around assessment of dermatologic conditions in all skin colours since the presentation can vary significantly depending on the amount of melanin present
- Establish and implement language to improve descriptions of health conditions that are biased towards white skin (e.g., changing “red man syndrome” to “vancomycin infusion reaction,” reducing or removing use of the term “erythema”)
CPhA Pharmacy Check-in series
CPhA caught up with some of our Black pharmacist colleagues to talk about diversity, creating safe spaces and why pharmacists play a key role in advocating for inclusive health care. Stay tuned throughout the month for more check-ins! Meet:
Additional tools and resources
Images
- Mind the Gap: A handbook of clinical signs in Black & Brown skin
- Skin of Colour Society
- Brown Skin Matters: Community sourced database of dermatological conditions on non-white skin
Research/Articles
- A focus on the health of Black people and anti-Black racism in health care in Canada (CMAJ series)
- Social determinants and inequities in health for Black Canadians: A Snapshot (Public Health Agency of Canada)
Education and webinar recordings
- Dismantling Anti-Black Racism: A Toolkit for Health Professionals (Queens University)
- Discrimination and racism in the pharmacy profession part 1: Experiences from the front line (CPhA)
- Discrimination and racism in the pharmacy profession part 2: Reflections from the sector (CPhA)
Organizations
Last updated: February 27, 2023