Women's Health, REACH Nexus and CANFAR host HIV testing event at Journey To Black Liberation Symposium

Toronto, Ontario - Women's Health In Women's Hands is thrilled to announce that it will be hosting a booth at the 3rd Annual Journey To Black Liberation Symposium at the Harbourfront Centre to bring together Black and racialized communities for a unique opportunity to test for HIV and to learn more about HIV prevention, treatment, and care.

Women's Health In Women's Hands (WHIWH) is a community health centre focused on racialized women, trans, and non-binary people in the Greater Toronto Area. Their primary health care teams specialize in the wellness needs of African, Caribbean, Latin American and South Asian communities.

"African, Caribbean and Black communities in Toronto and across Canada have long been disproportionately affected by HIV. Unequal access to health care, racism, and stigma have created significant barriers to accessing HIV testing and making connections to healthcare providers," said Natasha Lawrence, a community health worker with WHIWH.

“This health empowerment event allows people to get the knowledge they need to make important decisions about their health.”

Women's Health, in partnership with Canadian Foundation For AIDS Research (CANFAR) and REACH Nexus at the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital, will have health teams at the Journey To Black Liberation Symposium at the following times on February 1 and 7, 8, and 9:

• February 1: 8:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m. (Harbourfront, 235 Queens Quay W, Toronto, ON M5J 2G8 ) only Table and HIV self-test kit Distribution - Finding Space in Color: Mental Health & the Multiracial Black Experience

• February 7 2025: 10:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m. (Harbourfront), Table and Testing- A Jamaica Mi Come From (Late-Night Party)

• February 8: 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. (Harbourfront), Table and Testing-Finding Home in Toronto: Conversations with Black Refugees

• February 8: 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. (Harbourfront), Table and Testing- Voguing Workshop with Twysted Miyake-Mugler

• February 8: 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. (Harbourfront), Table and Testing-Our Bodies, Our Liberation: Panel with Sonya Renee Taylor and Dr. Syrus Ware

• February 8: 7:00 p.m. -12:00 midnight (PWA-The Hub), Table and Testing - The Black Liberation Ball 3: Afrofuturism (Mainstream)

The teams, consisting of registered nurses, researchers and community health workers will distribute free HIV self-tests, hygiene packages, provide sexual health items, guide people with HIV testing, and provide prevention and treatment information about HIV and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI).

There will be privacy screens, a small tent, and peer support to provide connections to care and treatment, including information about U=U (Undetectable equals Untransmittable) and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), a daily pill that can help prevent HIV.

"Taking control of your health means getting tested. Knowing your HIV status is the key to opening the door to getting culturally appropriate care and treatment,” said Dr. Sean B. Rourke, director of REACH Nexus and a scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital.

“We are proud to support Women's Health in Women's Hands which has an extensive history of focusing on the needs of African, Caribbean and Black communities in Toronto. This event will contribute to their mission of helping the community get what they need for their health, where they need it.”

The latest data from the Public Health Agency of Canada shows that new HIV diagnoses have risen more than 35 per cent from 2022 to 2023. In 2023, Ontario's HIV diagnosis rate was 6.0 per 100,000 people - higher than the national average of 4.7 per 100,000 people.

For decades, racism, stigma, and inequities have led to African, Caribbean and Black communities being significantly impacted by HIV. A study from 2023, showed that although the Black community makes up less than 5 per cent of Canada’s total population, they make up 25 per cent of new diagnoses.

“As HIV rates rise, investing in community-led testing initiatives is paramount to reaching people where they’re at and helping link people living with HIV to care,” said CANFAR CEO, Alex Filiatrault.

“This partnership with Women's Health in Women's Hands is just one example of how we are actively funding projects that will increase capacity among community health care providers and improve access to HIV testing for under-resourced populations.”

The Journey To Black Liberation Symposium is an inclusive space where Black communities—heterosexual and LGBTQI+ alike—can come together for meaningful dialogue, healing, and celebration. It’s hosted by The Black Daddies Club (BDC) and Toronto Kiki Ballroom Alliance (TKBA), in collaboration with Ultra-red/New York City, Center for Race, Religion, and Economic Democracy (C-RRED)/NYC, and Rainbow Railroad.

Women's Health in Women’s Hands, REACH Nexus and CANFAR are proud to sponsor this important event. For more information about the symposium click here.

REACH Nexus Contact

Andrew Russell

Senior Communications Specialist

REACH Nexus - MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions

Email: andrew.russell@unityhealth.to

Phone: 416-268-7642

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