To close off our first season of Shades of Black, we sat down with two youth creative innovators, Aymen and Drayton from 20Today20Tomorrow, to address men's mental health and the pressure Black men often face to "have it all together". Seeing that November was Men's Health Awareness Month, we believed it to be a great opportunity to address the stigma's that come with Black men and their mental health, as well as the ways in which structures can be better implemented to support them.    A big thank you to Drayton and Aymen for providing such good insights, and for helping us understand that the pressure our men face are often tied to their efforts going unnoticed - especially in a society that profits on individual burnout and lack of recognition.  -   We thank you for supporting us throughout this season! We've learned a lot along the way, and we hope this platform has provided you with some tools for your own knowledge and wellbeing. - About us:  Nérolane is the founder of Consciously Black, a community platform where she gathers Black individuals across Canada to discuss their Black experience, and to address the difficult conversations that affecting our communities...especially the ones far too often avoided.   Myriam is a Registered Psychotherapist (qualifying) and the founder of Thoughtful Therapist, and mental health platform that aims to promote self-awareness, growth, and healing for marginalized communities.    

Social Media platforms:  

Instagram: @_consciouslyblack Instagram: @thethoughtfultherapist_ -  

Production Company: Hot Shoe Productions  Instagram: @hotshoepro 

Creative Director/Producer/Video Editor: Omer Farah  Instagram: @itsomerfarah

In this episode, we took the time to sit with RèN Darah, a local Ottawa-Gatineau afro-caribbean artist, about the impacts of music and the entertainment industry on how communities. The artist also shared her personal experience with creative expression, and the ways in which it has supported her mental health.

Un gros merci à la talentueuse @ren_darah d’avoir pris le temps de partager son cheminement, ses connaissances, et sa culture dans l’industrie de divertissement! Check out her most recent album SENSATIONS 🎶✨ 

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Also, big thank you to this episode’s sponsor Bagay 9 Entertainment! (@b9_entertainement)! Grateful for this partnership, and the upcoming events you have planned for the city 😌 

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About us:    

Nérolane is the founder of Consciously Black, a community platform where she gathers Black individuals across Canada to discuss their Black experience, and to address the difficult conversations that affecting our communities...especially the ones far too often avoided.     

Myriam is a Registered Psychotherapist (qualifying) and the founder of Thoughtful Therapist, and mental health platform that aims to promote self-awareness, growth, and healing for marginalized communities.      

Social Media platforms:   

Instagram: @_consciouslyblack  

Instagram: @thethoughtfultherapist_     

Production Company: Hot Shoe Productions   

Producer/Video Editor: @hotshoepro  

Instagram: @hotshoepro

Come, sit, and join the conversation this week,  as we converse with Anicia and Aurore about Black women in the Nursing field. 

As many of us know, Black women represent a large portion of women in the nursing field. For this episode, we wanted to take the time to discuss why Black women lean towards this specific field of work, and how they’ve learned to navigate the space. To make things a little interesting, one of our guest speakers, Aurore, will be providing a South African perspective to our Canadian perspective and understanding of health care.

About us:  

Nérolane is the founder of Consciously Black, a community platform where she gathers Black individuals across Canada to discuss their Black experience, and to address the difficult conversations that affecting our communities...especially the ones far too often avoided.   

Myriam is a Registered Psychotherapist (qualifying) and the founder of Thoughtful Therapist, and mental health platform that aims to promote self-awareness, growth, and healing for marginalized communities.    

Social Media platforms:  

Instagram: @_consciouslyblack 

Instagram: @thethoughtfultherapist_   

Production Company: Hot Shoe Productions  Instagram: @hotshoepro 

Producer/Video Editor: Omer Farah  Instagram: @itsomerfarah

Hi Everyone, thank you for being patient with us! We’ve now entered part 2 of season 1, and we wanted to take the time to take off our professional hats, while sitting with y’all to discuss what’s been going on with us in our personal lives. This episode we discuss how it’s been navigating these transitions, and the impact it’s had on our personal relationships. This is a theme that we’ve seen play out within our close circle as well, so we thought it was fitting topic to discuss. Hope you enjoy this episode, and we’re excited for the new content to come! 

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About us:  

Nérolane is the founder of Consciously Black, a community platform where she gathers Black individuals across Canada to discuss their Black experience, and to address the difficult conversations that affecting our communities...especially the ones far too often avoided.   

Myriam is a Registered Psychotherapist (qualifying) and the founder of Thoughtful Therapist, and mental health platform that aims to promote self-awareness, growth, and healing for marginalized communities.    

Social Media platforms:  

Instagram: @_consciouslyblack 

Instagram: @thethoughtfultherapist_ 

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Production Company: Hot Show Productions  

Instagram: @hotshoepro 

Creative Director/Producer/Video Editor: Omer Farah  

Instagram: @itsomerfarah

In this episode, you will see that we are not in our usual setting. We had the opportunity to visit Halifax over Emancipation Day (August 1st) weekend, and we wanted to take the opportunity to shed light on the experience of the community who once lived in Africville.   

In this special episode, we sat down with Eddy Carvery I, who is the longest standing Africvillian activist, accompanied by his grandson Eddy Carvery III. Eddy has lived on the land of Africville since birth, and even with the demolishment of the community in 1964, he still remains on the land of his ancestors. In this conversation, Eddy highlights his experience in Africville and the racism that led to the city of Halifax's decision to demolish and relocate the once established Black community.   

We want to give a special thank you to Eddy Carvery I and Eddy Carvery III for choosing to sit with us, and speak truth of the community's pain. Our intention was to bring more awareness on this community, and find ways to repair the damages that have been done by the city of Halifax. You can further support Eddy Carvery I by donating to his go-fundme account listed below. 

Please take the time to also listen to the Africville Forever Podcast for more insight about the community.  

Go Fund Me  https://www.gofundme.com/f/eddie-carv... 

Africville Forever Podcast:  https://link.chtbl.com/AfricvilleFore...

Consciously Black - Nérolane  @_consciouslyblack    

Thoughtful Therapist - Myriam @thethoughtfultherapist_  

Studio Rental: Podstarter  Instagram: @podstarter  

Editing Company: Hot Shoe Production  Instagram: @hotshoepro 

Creative Producer: Souleymane Haydara and Omer Farah  Instagram: @souleymane.haydara @itsomerfarah 

Video Editor: Omer Farah  Instagram: @itsomerfarah

In light of the Roe v Wade turnover, we thought it would be important, and relevant, to engage in a conversation about Women’s Reproductive Health; as well as the socioeconomic impacts that come with having some reproductive rights taken away from women - especially marginalized women. A lot of information was provided during this episode, and for many this conversation can and/or will be triggering. Our intention is not to contribute to any wounds one might have, but rather to shed light on the complexities that come with having such rights removed.  

We want to take the time to thank our guest speaker Jade (@ohmyjadie), who joined us virtually, to provide us with a great intersectional perspective on the topic of Women’s Reproductive Health. We thank you for allowing us to engage in an honest, and needed, conversation that can hopefully better support women of all communities affected by the Roe v Wade turnover.  

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Community Resources in Ottawa-Gatineau Region: 

1. Planned Parenthood Ottawa  

2. Liberty Women’s Health 

3. Ottawa Newcomer Health Centre 

4. Defend Choice 

5. Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity 

6. Origin Elle Fertility Clinic & Women’s Health Centre  

7. Sexual Health Clinic 

8. Immigrant Women Services Ottawa (IWSO) 

9. Shirley E Greenberg Women’s Health Centre 

10. The Morgentaler Clinic 

11. Infertility & Reproductive Care - Naturopathic Medicine 

12. Women’s Resource Centre (University of Ottawa)  

13. Ottawa Fertility Centre  

14. Action Canada for Sexual Health & Rights  

15. Centre for Treatment of Sexual Abuse and Childhood Trauma 

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Social Media platforms:  

Instagram: @_consciouslyblack 

Instagram: @thethoughtfultherapist_ 

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Production Company: Hot Shoe Productions  

Instagram: @hotshoepro 

Producer/Video Editor: Omer Farah  

Instagram: @itsomerfarah

In celebration of Pride Month, we engaged in a conversation with our guest speaker Sade, who shed light on her personal experience as a queer identifying Black woman. Our aim for this episode is to highlight the different ways in which the Black community (and other communities) can better support the Black LGBTQ+ community. We know that speaking of the queer community, within our Black communities, is often seen as a taboo subject; However we hope that in this episode you are able to keep an open mind, engage in active listening, and see where you are able to challenge your own personal narratives about the LGBTQ+ community, and how society has historically depicted this group of individuals.

We want to give a sincere thanks to our Sade (@_notsoslimshady) for taking the time to join us for this conversation, and shedding light on her own personal experiences. This conversation supported Myriam and I as we work towards becoming better allies, and we hope that this can become true for you as well.

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Production Company: Hot Show Productions

Instagram: @hotshoepro

Creative Director/Producer/Video Editor: Omer Farah

Instagram: @itsomerfarah

As we celebrate Father’s Day here in North America, this upcoming weekend, we wanted to take the time to engage in a unique therapy-like conversation that centred on our relationships with our fathers, and the different relationships we hold with them. Please note that this conversation is NOT a representation of all Black fathers. We acknowledge that Black fathers are capable of being present in their child's life, it just happens that it was not the case for our own personal stories. Enjoy!

Production Company: Hot Shoe Productions

Instagram: @hotshoepro

Creative Director/Producer/Video Editor: Omer Farah

Instagram: @itsomerfarah

As we celebrated Mother's Day here in North America, we wanted to take the time to engage in a conversation that centred our Black mothers, and the different relationships we hold with them. This conversation may be triggering for some, but our intention is to create a space where our pain can be seen, felt, and reflected through positivity and deep insight. We are in no way, shape, or form criticizing Black mothers, but shedding light on how unhealed trauma can be passed down to the following generations.  We thank our guest speakers, Comedian Renzel Dashington, and Real Estate Agent Souleymane Haydara, for partaking in this great conversation! You can find them on their social media platform down below.   About us:  Nérolane is the founder of Consciously Black, a community platform where she gathers Black individuals across Canada to discuss their Black experience, and to address the difficult conversations that affecting our communities...especially the ones far too often avoided.   Myriam is a Registered Psychotherapist (qualifying) and the founder of Thoughtful Therapist, and mental health platform that aims to promote self-awareness, growth, and healing for marginalized communities.    Social Media platforms:  Instagram: @_consciouslyblack Instagram: @thethoughtfultherapist_ Instagram: @renzel.dashington  Instagram: @souleymane.haydara  Production Company: Hot Shoe Productions  Instagram: @hotshoepro   Creative Director/Producer/Video Editor: Omer Farah  Instagram: @itsomerfarah

In this first episode of Shades of Black, we take the time to discuss what it means to be African, Caribbean, African-Canadian and Black. We also discuss the power and purpose of labels, and the impacts of colonialism when forming our cultural identities.  P.S: As you watch the first 7 minutes of the video, please bare with us! 😆 We’ll be getting rid of the laptops for further episodes, and won’t be giving anymore definitions 🤣  About us:  Nérolane is the founder of Consciously Black, a community platform where she gathers Black individuals across Canada to discuss their Black experience, and to address the difficult conversations that affecting our communities...especially the ones far too often avoided.   Myriam is a Registered Psychotherapist (qualifying) and the founder of Thoughtful Therapist, and mental health platform that aims to promote self-awareness, growth, and healing for marginalized communities.    Social Media platforms:  Instagram: @_consciouslyblack Instagram: @thethoughtfultherapist_  Production Company: Hot Shoe Productions  Instagram: @hotshoepro   Creative Director/Producer/Video Editor: Omer Farah  Instagram: @itsomerfarah  Links to Articles:  Negro, Black, Black African, African Caribbean, African American or what? Labelling African origin populations in the health arena in the 21st century https://jech.bmj.com/content/jech/59/12/1014.full.pdf Social Identity and Preferred Ethnic/ Racial Labels for Blacks in Canada http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.590.9032&rep=rep1&type=pdf CHANGING RACIAL LABELS: FROM “COLORED” TO “NEGRO” TO “BLACK” TO “AFRICAN AMERICAN” - By TOM W. SMITH (1992)  The Willie Lynch Letter - The Making of a Slave - by Willie Lynch