How Black youth are reclaiming their mental health in Canada

With research showing how Black youth face systemic barriers when it comes to accessing mental health care, CTVNews.ca tells the story of some young Black Canadians creating grassroots services that provide alternative mental health support to their community.

“We grew up in a context where showing our ‘negative’ emotions was seen as weak and that sharing personal issues was a sign of vulnerability and weakness,” said Fama.

And they are not alone.

For some Black youth in Canada who shared their stories with CTVNews.ca, they say their experience with seeking mental health support has been an uphill battle.

Though Canada is one of the most ethnically diverse countries with Black people representing the third-largest population of racialized people, historically, the Black community was placed at a disadvantage when it comes to their mental health.