By Deborah Arellano

Deborah is a Cooperative student at FOCUS MEDIA ARTS CENTRE

The Regent Park Social Development Plan also known as the RPNA is a community-wide initiative aimed at fostering social cohesion and inclusion. The SDP Community Building Working Group is one of the four working groups of the Regent Park Social Development Plan (SDP). The goal of the Community Building working table of the SDP is to create and organize equitable spaces, events and groups that bring residents together and build bridges, particularly between market owners and TCH residents. The group meets every month to discuss various issues related to spaces and events in Regent Park.

In this month's meeting, the members discussed the Black History Month event, mental health services and steps to an anti-racist community to increase people’s well-being. To begin, Humaira and Halima discussed both Pathways Regent Park and the Youth Enrichment Academy and the planning process that made for the successful Black History Month Performance. The event was planned within a month and had such a wonderful turnout to celebrate black excellence. Photos were taken by Abel from Shoot for Peace, performers included local black artists, local food businesses and vendors were in attendance and lastly, many local talent, youth and community partners supported the event including; TNG, Wanasah, RP FilmFestival, & black-owned businesses such as Fly in the 6.

Secondly, the group touched upon mental health concerns -  the conversation was directed by Wanasah of the not for profit agency “Why Wanasah and Why Mental Health?” They discussed their visions of providing safe and inclusive communities where Black youth with mental health concerns live with dignity and a sense of purpose. Their mission is to improve access to effective and holistic mental health services for Black youth and their families in the GTA. Wanash verbalized the issues with respect to institutional racism in the city, specifically wait times for mental health services, lack of services in low-income communities, lack of trauma-related services and how Black youth in Canada are 4X more likely to first enter the mental healthcare system through the emergency department and how 50% of Black youth have encounters with the police on their way into the mental healthcare system. Wanash hopes to bridge the gap between mental health help and the prevalent racial barriers so that black youth would no longer experience a disproportionate amount of mental illness and addictions while also experiencing inequitable and poor access to mental health services.