NWT’s Black Advocacy Coalition spotlights mental health this month

“Mental health is often not talked about enough in Black communities for so many reasons,” says Gilbert Langsi.

Langsi is a co-founder of BACupNorth, the Black Advocacy Coalition in the NWT, which held a mental health workshop and dinner in Yellowknife this past weekend.

The event took place as part of a season of Black History Month activities such as movie nights, financial literacy workshops and a book launch, culminating in a gala night on February 24.

Langsi said discussing mental health can be a challenge because of “the stigma, traditional reasons, cultural backgrounds or just because some people think, when they express themselves as being mentally ill, they might not find the help that they need.”

Through mental health workshops like the one held on Saturday, Langsi said the Black Advocacy Coalition can bring people together in a safe space for open discussions and the opportunity to create a network.

The coalition is a product of events like 2020’s global Black Lives Matter demonstrations, which followed the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. That movement sparked a conversation about an advocacy group for Black rights in the NWT, Langsi said.

“When that happened, we looked among ourselves and discovered there were so many things happening, especially here in the North,” he told Cabin Radio.

“That protest exposed a lot of racial injustices and inequalities in society, so we decided we’d come up with an association where we could stand together to fight for the rights of our own people.”

Saturday’s dinner featured African and Caribbean food, offering attendees “a taste of where we’re coming from,” Langsi said. Twenty-nine main dishes and desserts, prepared by more than 20 volunteers, represented nations like Cameroon, DR Congo, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Haiti, Nigeria, Ghana, Jamaica, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso and Rwanda.

Angélique Ruzindana Umunyana, one of the volunteers, has been living in Yellowknife for more than 20 years.

“Where we come from, talking about mental health, even if you have a problem we don’t say it, because it is perceived as a weakness,” she said.

“If your kid gets here and they’re going through depression, you don’t talk [about it] because you feel like, ‘Wow, what did I do?’

“So we want to start talking about this seriously, because it is such a remote area. If we don’t stick together, if we don’t talk, no one else would know that they may have [depression].”

To Umunyana, having this kind of important discussion over dinner is a way to put people at ease during what could be a difficult conversation.

Through the workshops, Umunyana hopes to see a more formal social committee develop that can address challenges she believes are often overlooked – to “have someone to talk about what we are going through in the community, what resources are there, and maybe have something more culturally appropriate for us.”

Munya Mataruse, who performed at last year’s Black History Month gala, said three Edmonton musicians with whom he has toured will join him to play at this year’s gala night.

“It’ll be the first time for me to play in a band here in Yellowknife. Most of my followers know me through solo performances, me and my guitar. This time is going to be a different vibe altogether,” he said.

Moving to Yellowknife five years ago, Mataruse said he wanted to be more involved with the Black community and contribute to something positive. He first met with BACupNorth while performing around the city.

Mataruse is a full-time photographer, a passion he has pursued alongside music since his time in Edmonton. In Yellowknife, he feels he has been able to develop both talents.

“Engaging with people, getting to know them better, just giving a free service sometimes to make sure the community is well, checking on your neighbour. We grew up doing those things in Africa,” he said.

“So us coming here is kind-of like reuniting people from Jamaica, people from Cameroon. We have got our uniqueness and it’s something different that can be big.”

Mataruse can also be found performing at this year’s Snowkings’ Winter Festival, which runs from March 2 until March 29.

Although BACupNorth has received “overwhelming support” from the community, the territorial government and various municipalities, Langsi feels there is still room for improvement in terms of representation, education, awareness and community engagement.

“Five to 10 years down the line, I may not be here. But we are paving the way for future generations,” he said.

“We hope the kids that are coming after us are going to take it to the next level.”

The Black History Month gala starts at 5pm on February 24. Yellowknife’s Chateau Nova Hotel is the venue. For more information, contact BACupNorth.