As we close out February, I reflect on Black Liberation Month. While the month is rooted in history, the word “liberation” reminds us that the struggle for Black freedom and equity is ongoing. As OHTN’s new CEO, I am committed to this work and to walking the path of liberation alongside staff, partners, and community.
OHTN’s network serves diverse African, Caribbean, and Black communities that enrich Ontario society in myriad ways. Similarly, our network reflects the excellence of these communities. From front-line workers to data scientists, to advocates and organizers, our mission to improve the lives of those living with and at-risk of HIV is uplifted by the contributions of Black leadership at many levels. I am deeply appreciative of this leadership as is evident across the sector.
With this, I am pleased to share a new resource from ACCHO – Addressing the Impact: Raising HIV Awareness in ACB Communities, which is aimed at fostering open conversations and challenging stigma. This resource is available as both a brochure and a video. The brochure, offered in both English and French and the video version is available here: https://youtu.be/1YkBkl_QhOk?si=ipAR2CFnU1lufDyg.
Though days and months of acknowledgment are important, they can also be fraught with performative acts of solidarity and alliance-building. I am conscious that to achieve Black Liberation, our work must be rooted in meaningful actions all year-round.
I am also aware of how these periods of acknowledgment can be reductive. Black communities are richly intersectional, and so, the work of Black Liberation — especially in the context of HIV – is inextricably tied to the work of dismantling other forms of oppression, including misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, and many others.
We have a lot of work to do.
Over the coming months, I will engage staff, our Board and partners to seek opportunities to integrate anti-oppressive frameworks, specifically Anti-Black Racism (ABR), into our work. Whether it be obvious — like progress on our Action Plan to Combat Anti-Black Racism or progress in the work of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee (DEIAC) — or nuanced shifts in culture and relationships, I embrace this work and look forward to walking with you in this journey.
In solidarity,