Lavonne is quiet. She might not say much at first. But don’t let that fool you—she’s a funny, compassionate young woman whose strong voice is helping to reduce the stigma in her community around youth mental health.
“There’s a lot of Black girls who are like me or have .. come from the background that I have. So I’ve seen and talked to some girls, and they ask me questions and stuff,” Lavonne says.
“I tell them it’s going to be okay.”
Lavonne and her two brothers grew up in the city. All three kids loved basketball—Lavonne with a competitive streak—and they logged countless hours shooting hoops at the YMCA-YWCA.
But in her teens, Lavonne began to struggle, and her light began to dim.
“I became depressed and very anxious about things. I wasn’t hanging out with my friends and stuff. I wasn’t talking to them. I was eating like fast food and not eating healthy,” Lavonne recalled. “There was sadness, anger and all that. And then (feeling) lost a little.
“My mom, she noticed, and she just didn’t know what to do.”
Lavonne’s mom immigrated from Jamaica, and some of the cultures and perspectives of her homeland were still prevalent at home, particularly when it came to mental health. Those cultural beliefs made it challenging for Lavonne’s family to fully grasp what she was going through.
“They have their own way of dealing with mental health,” said Lavonne. “It can be good sometimes, but … I feel like compared to what we’re learning here, it could be unhealthy.”
Through the Jamaican Association of Manitoba, Lavonne and her family were connected with the Canadian Mental Health Association, Manitoba and Winnipeg (CMHA)—a United Way Winnipeg agency partner supported by donors.
CMHA offers a number of supports, including the Mental Health Promotion Toolkit for Black Canadians in Manitoba: a useful and meaningful resource to support and promote positive mental health journeys within the community.
More than 45,000 people in Manitoba identify as Black—the third largest racialized group in the province—with an average age of 29 years old. The population is dynamic and diverse, with representation from different backgrounds, countries, religions, and cultures.
“We’re able to be more intentional around defining what’s going on for us, and also being proactive in terms of navigating certain barriers so we can achieve really not just mental health—but really health overall.”
Tracy-Ann Campbell, the CMHA’s Equity and Belonging Lead, said there are many factors which uniquely impact the mental health of Black Canadians.
“I think when we think about the reality of being Black in Canada and being a Black individual in the Western world, there are a lot of historical components that don’t necessarily align with promoting our well-being,” Campbell said, adding cultural interpretations of mental illness, family dynamics, and stigma all contribute to the struggle.
“This (Mental Health Promotion) Toolkit really enhances the issues that impact Black communities directly so that we’re able to be more intentional around defining what’s going on for us, and also being proactive in terms of navigating certain barriers so we can achieve really not just mental health—but really health overall.”
Lavonne said she was “a little bit shy and reserved” when she was first introduced to the CMHA and Tracy-Ann, but “after a while, (Tracy-Ann) was talking about some things … so she made me feel comfortable.”
Lavonne signed up for an eight-week course connected with the Toolkit for Black Canadians, and she learned about topics like micro-aggressions, parental influences, the impact of health inequity on mental health, and more.
Arlene Porritt with the Rehabilitation and Recovery Program at CMHA says while some cultural perspectives on mental health may differ, the support the CMHA offers as people move toward a healthier well-being for themselves is the same for everyone.
“The first thing we say is, ‘You made it here, right? Congratulations. You came—and we’re going to help you. We’re going to help you make those little steps and create some self-awareness about yourself,’” Porritt said. “It’s a person’s tailored recovery journey, and we’re just walking alongside them and it’s okay. There are no closed doors.”
“The first thing we say is, ‘You made it here, right? Congratulations. You came—and we're going to help you."
With support from the CMHA, Lavonne began celebrating herself and her identity. The darkness she was feeling began to brighten, and she reconnected with friends and her wider social circle.
Lavonne also found her voice and began volunteering, sharing her story with other girls from the Black community so they, too, know they’re not alone.
“(I tell them) there’s hope. Reach out for help. I feel like a lot of people, they don’t think there’s help— and there is,” Lavonne said.
“Take a chance. Take a risk. It will help you for sure. You’ll learn other things. And maybe people who are exactly like me or them will also look at them as an example and then follow, too.”
