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/.
We are sorry to announce that the event of QBMA Annual Gala and Scholarship Awards has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control. We regret any inconvenience this change may have caused.
A new deadline for scholarship application will be posted as soon as possible. We thank you in advance for your understanding.
This scholarship is awarded annually to outstanding students for their academic and community efforts. The winners will be announced at the QBMA’s annual Gala-Symposium on October 18, 2024. If you have any questions, please email us at qbma.president@gmail.com.
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.
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)
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.
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 confidenceamong 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.
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.
