From care to cuisine: Black History Month celebrated at London hospital

The importance of taking into consideration skin tone and complexion when treating injuries was highlighted during a Black History Month exhibit at London's University Hospital. 

Nursing student Nyechuor Deng showed clinicians the Monk Skin Tone Scale, which gives nurses and other healthcare professionals a way to identify pressure injuries on individuals who have darker skin tones.

Deng said pressure injuries can be missed if differences in skin tone and complexion are not taken into account. 

"It's important that we have more of these inclusive tools to prevent biased healthcare and to heal that mistrust that a lot of people of colour experience in hospitals," she said. 

Deng is a part of Western University's Black Student Leadership University Experience program, which pairs emerging leaders at the school with mentors and provides opportunities for them to develop their leadership skills. 

Having a community of Black professionals to network with and help develop their skills is important, she said. 

"There's not a lot of black nurses in Canada, and I've always wanted to be a representation of my community," Deng said. "Having that leadership and having that mentorship has been invaluable."

Cultural lunch and art display

Deng's exhibit was part of a larger Black History Month display at the London Health Sciences Centre. 

"We're really trying to bring awareness about black culture into our organization," said event organizer Cathy Wood. 

Wood is the Black health lead at LHSC. She said events like this are critical to creating a more inclusive and culturally sensitive environment in the city's hospitals.

We're really trying to bring awareness about black culture into our organization- Cathy Wood

"If we can do events like this where the Black community can see that LHSC is really invested in dismantling those systems of racism discrimination and oppression, then we know that we will have folks feel safe within these walls," she said.

Flavours from around the world

Yaya's Kitchen, owned by husband and wife Malvin and Maryam Wright, served food from the global south.  

"We'll pick a grain from Egypt, spices from east Africa, an herb from the Caribbean and just create," Maryam Wright said. 

We believe that food is a journey- Maryam Wright

Yaya's Kitchen began with meals served out of their backyard in 2017. Eventually they began holding monthly pop-up events and held their first supper club in 2019. They hope that showing variety in food will help introduce people to the variety within Black culture as well. 

"We believe that food is a journey. What our forefathers ate is not what our great-grandparents ate or what we're eating," she said. "Food evolves and changes from places to spaces. And that is the journey we want to share with other people."

Personal Prints

Nigerian-born artist Amsa Yaro was also at the event, helping people produce their own creation using stamps and paint. 

"It might only take five minutes, but it is their own, and it has brightened up their day," she said. "People are curious about new things, and this is an opportunity to show them something new."

Another cultural lunch event will be held at Victoria hospital on February 27. 

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.