OUR STORY
Black Healing T.O was founded by anti-oppressive social worker Melissa Taylor. Proceeds from the merchandise will go towards subsiding therapy and other healing practices for Afro-Indigenous and Black residents of Ontario.
When you donate towards Black Healing T.O., you are investing in your community, not just Black communities. Communities of children, parents, neighbours, healers, elders, and much more. When Black communities are well, you are well. We cannot heal without collective care, and community care includes you. Black liberation is interconnected.
Love, Melissa and our Ancestors
“Toronto is in the ‘Dish With One Spoon Territory’. The Dish With One Spoon is a treaty between the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas and Haudenosaunee that bound them to share the territory and protect the land. Subsequent Indigenous Nations and peoples, Europeans and all newcomers have been invited into this treaty in the spirit of peace, friendship and respect.”
The “Dish”, or sometimes it is called the “Bowl”, represents what is now southern Ontario, from the Great Lakes to Quebec and from Lake Simcoe into the United States. *We all eat out of the Dish, all of us that share this territory, with only one spoon. That means we have to share the responsibility of ensuring the dish is never empty, which includes taking care of the land and the creatures we share it with. Importantly, there are no knives at the table, representing that we must keep the peace. The dish is graphically represented by the wampum pictured above.
Reciprocity: Ways To Give
PayPal
https://paypal.me/blackhealingto?locale.x=en_US
Purchase Black Healing Merch
Why is this fund important:
This fundraiser mission was largely inspired by Racheal Cargle’s Loveland Foundation, and I wanted to bring a similar proven & tested model closer to home. There are major gaps in the public health care system with an implicit bias of Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour. Many Ontarians have to wait on a long waitlist for mental health care, but the barriers for Black and Afro-Indigenous people differ because of intergenerational trauma, the history of colonization, and slavery. Before seeking institutional help of any sort, many BIPOC are forced to consider the potential realities and impacts of that:
- “Will I be treated fairly?”
- “Will I be reported to the Children’s Aid Society?”
- “Will I end up in the back of a police car?”
- “Will I be murdered?”
Systemic anti-Black racism creates barriers for asking for help and receiving help. Black and Afro Indigenous people need to feel safe & seen to access mental health care. Black Healing TO focuses on making it possible for individuals to choose culturally competent therapists, so they can move towards discovering and reclaiming a sense of well-being and feeling secure in their body, mind, and soul.
Mission & Vision
Black Healing TO is committed to providing support & care for Black & Afro Indigenous folks in Ontario. Our resources and initiatives are collaborative and trauma informed. We aim to embody 4 principals: respect, self-determination, being trauma informed, and anti-racist & anti-oppressive practices. When we heal, we all heal. We all have the personal & collective responsibility not to ignore the reflection of hundreds of years of trauma in various Black communities because everyone’s liberation is interconnected.
Goal:
The fundraising goal of $80,000 provides mid to long term therapy for individuals, including couples, & families.
The Process:
Individuals/ couples/ and or Family will be chosen on a first come, first serve basis. Priority will be given to Black Queer, Trans, 2 Spirited, and/or non-binary folks.
Individuals will be given a voucher to cover 10-20 sessions depending on the reason for therapy (therapy rates from $120-200/hour depending on the type of session).
A release date for applications will be announced once we are close to our goals on the Black Healing TO website and social media page.
How does it work:
Individuals, couples, or family chooses a BIPOC therapist. Resources will be provided to aid in the facilitation of finding a therapist. Once there is a mutual agreement to commence therapeutic work, the therapist will invoice Black Healing TO for sessions.
Race base Therapist list
Healing in Colour https://www.healingincolour.com/
Black girl feels https://www.blackgirlfeels.com/
Black therapist List https://www.blacktherapistlist.com/Directory
https://www.blackfemaletherapists.com/enter-site/toronto-therapists
If you are a BIPOC therapist and would like to join our list, please email us.
Breakdown of how Donations will be spent
Administration (covering the cost of processing applications, service navigation, bookkeeping, etc.) 15%
85% Direct funding for individual/ couples/ or Family therapy & trauma informed body practitioners
Black Healing TO 