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In Memoriam Project

The pandemic has hit Black communities disproportionately hard. As we approach its 2-year anniversary, we* want to honour the lives that were lost in the last two years with the In Memoriam Project. It is a video project that aims to remind us that the lives lost are more than statistics and graph points. If you’ve lost someone during the pandemic and want to share a piece of their memory, you can send us a picture and a message by filling out this form : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Cb6w80rJxuYKXv-Qkxy1IJs0LFNSBW5ujYWckdqsW80/prefill.

*We are a collective of health professionals, community organisations and researchers working to promote COVID-19 awareness in Black communities. You can view some of our work here: http://qbma.ca/en/covid-19-vaccination/.

QBMA 30th Anniversary Gala: One for the books

On the 21st of October 2022 the QBMA held its annual Gala and Banquet. This year’s gala marked 30 years of the association, a spectacular legacy indeed.

Scholarship applicant presenting a poster on health practices among women in Canada

The event was held at the University of Montreal’s Jean Coutu Pavilion. Guests arrived as scholarship applicants presented their research on a healthcare topic relevant to the black community. Topics included but were not limited to:

  • Skin bleaching practices among women in Canada

  • Breast cancer

  • Why representation in healthcare workers matters

  • Strengths based nursing and its benefits to black communities in Canada

Guests settled into their seats to listen to three wonderful panelists, Dr. Nicolas Cadet, Kate Hooton and Dr. Jean-Michel Leduc, lead a conversation about the recent efforts made by major Montreal universities, McGill and University of Montreal, to combat underrepresentation of black students in their cohorts.

Panelists left to right: Dr. Nicolas Cadet, Kate Hooton and Dr. Jean-Michel Leduc
Dr. Cadet, McGill and UdeM alumni, with two of the pioneers of crucial changes in university admissions of students of color.

The award ceremony followed after a series of talks and presentations. QBMA scholarship recipients, pictured below, were honored for their outstanding achievements academically as well as in the black community in Quebec.

Elhaj, Hiba 
McGill Student 
QBMA Award Funded by McGill University 
Presented by Anita Hiba Elhaj
Amougou Bandé, Steve 
McGill Student 
QBMA McGill Award Funded by McGill University 
Presented by Kate
Batubenge, Gislaine 
McGill Student
QBMA Award Funded by McGill University 
Presented by Dr. Nana Graves

Lefranc, Tamara 
UdeM Student 
QBMA Award Funded by UdeM 
Presented by a Representative from UdeM
QBMA Special Recognition Award Funded by Black Studies Center (BSC) 
Presented by Aline 
Peebles, Alexandra
McGill Student
QBMA Elrie Tucker Award Funded by McGill University
Presented by: Drs. Horace Laryea with Dr. Esie Laryea
Kiniffo-Dongmo, Enila 
From CEGEP
QBMA Award Funded by Dr. Hakeem Sam 
Presented by Dr. Nina Mombo 

Pictured below are our wonderful keynote speakers

Dr. Richard Koestner, PhD
Dr. François Madore, MD, MSc

The atmosphere was joyful as as the president of the QBMA, Dr. Edouard Kouassi, cut the special made cake to kick-off the cocktail portion of the evening. It was truly a night to remember.

Rendez-vous inspirants | Diversity and Inclusion: Exceptional Careers in Health

As part of Black History Month, the Alumni and Donor Network, in collaboration with the faculties of Medicine, Pharmacy and Nursing Sciences of the Université de Montréal, presents “Rendez-vous inspirants”.

8th February 2023 at 12:00pm


Discover, during this virtual event, the inspiring journeys of three graduates working in the field of health.
🔹 Nadine Belony (Nursing Science 2016)
🔹 Edouard Kouassi (Pharmacy 1979, Pharmacology 1981 and 1985)
🔹 Agathe Tupula Kabola (Speech Therapy 2010)


Registration free, but compulsory: https://umontreal.zoom.us/…/WN_vIjfU_XJSNqRtUa_-wIrtw 

Gala & Banquet 2022 QBMA 30th Anniversary

QBMA Gala and Banquet – Friday, 21st October 2022

The Gala and Award ceremony will be held at the University of Montreal from 5PM-10PM.

Address: Université de Montréal, Pavillon Jean Coutu, 2940 Chemin de Polytechnique,
Montréal, QC H3T 1J4

QBMA will present scholarship recipients with awards based on their academic achievements and their community outreach.

This year’s Gala will be one for the books as it coincides with the 30th anniversary of the QBMA.

April 10th 1992 marks the day of the Quebec Black Medical Association Inaugural Dinner, making this year the 30th anniversary of the organization.

Looking back on our fondest memories

Virtual Forum on Black Students Representation in the Health Sciences

Black student underrepresentation is well described within medical schools and other health professions. Evidence from multiple contexts has shown that increasing diversity of the health care workforce improves patient care, including both access to and efficacy of care. From the learner perspective, diversity can improve healthcare training by enriching the learning environment, providing role models and, in some situations, promote better understanding of patient realities. For these reasons, healthcare education programs are deploying many efforts to increase diversity in their cohorts.

For further reading, click on the link below.

In Memoriam project

We are seeking your participation in a video project to acknowledge and honor individuals from Black communities across Canada who have been lost to the Covid 19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare long-standing inequities in access to healthcare in Black and racialized communities. Black communities in Canada were disproportionately negatively impacted by the virus, in terms of infection and mortality rate. Black communities also bore a disproportionate economic burden with significant job loss and a higher number of business foreclosures during the pandemic than any other community.

Recognizing the specific need for positive intervention for Black Francophone and Anglophone communities in the greater Montreal region, an initiative to promote COVID-19 awareness and vaccine confidence among Black communities in the Montreal and Laval region was launched in May 2021. This initiative was done in collaboration with the Direction régionale de santé publique (DRSP) of Montreal and Laval, the Centres intégrés universitaires de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) and several individuals, community organizations, and health professionals from Black communities who are mobilized around addressing the systemic issues and obstacles to vaccination. The collaborative developed several tools to promote information, awareness and access, including information townhalls, pop-up vaccine clinics and a powerful 6-part Public Awareness Video campaign which you can view here: http://qbma.ca/vaccination-covid-19/

As we are approaching the second anniversary of the start of the pandemic, the collaborative wishes to use the final video in the series for an In Memoriam Project. The three objectives are to call attention to the disproportionate impact that the COVID-19 had on Black communities across Canada; to honor those we lost during the last two years and put a face to the pandemic and to remind us that these are not statistics or data points on graphs – they are people, whose loss has left a significant impact on the loved ones left behind

We are collecting the names and pictures of the people from Black communities across Canada who passed away as a result of COVID-19. The images and names of the deceased individuals shared with us by their loved ones, will be assembled in a video produced by acclaimed director Jorge Camarotti.

In order to collect this information and amplify this important initiative, we are asking you to please share images and names of loved ones you’ve personally lost to the pandemic, and to also share the following form with individuals within your communities.

• Form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Cb6w80rJxuYKXv-Qkxy1IJs0LFNSBW5ujYWckdqsW80/prefill

Please note that the images and information shared through the form will only be used as part of the In Memoriam Project and will not be communicated to another party or for any other purpose.

COVID-19 Vaccination Townhall, Part 2

Thursday, October 21st 2021, 7:00 pm-9:00 pm 

The Jamaica Association of Montreal presents the second Townhall meeting on COVID-19 vaccination held on zoom. This second session focuses on the current epidemiologic situation, vaccine hesitancy, the vaccine passport, how vaccines actually work and what scientists know so far. 

The event was held in english.