Raising awareness
AROBA (A Room of Black Artists) in association with Workman Arts are teaming up to put together a podcast dedicated to Black mental health.
Image courtesy of A Room of Black Artists
Monday, March 7 marks Black Mental Health Day 2022. This year AROBA and multidisciplinary art organization Workman Arts team up to produce and release a Black Mental Health Podcast Series in observance of the day. The series will zero in on the intersection of mental health and addiction, specifically the area of harm reduction.
Written and hosted by documentary filmmaker Lana Lovell, this podcast puts a spotlight on harm reduction as an approach to addiction in the Black community and highlights stories from Black Toronto-based artists and harm reduction specialists. Through voices including muralist Adrian Hayles, filmmaker Louis Taylor and harm reduction specialists Cassandra Smith and Colin Johnson, listeners will gain an understanding about the approach and its important impact on the Black community. In the words of Lovell, the podcast series “is a contemplation on community, understanding and the value of helping those who have become isolated due to addiction as they struggle with trauma”.
This is the second collaborative effort between AROBA and Workman Arts. Last year, they teamed up to produce a day-long Black mental health symposium and action event that featured a keynote address from Dr. Arba Chintoh. The symposium featured panels and discussions tackling complex topics including: the arts increasing public awareness of anti-Black racism, artists accessing mental health services, and the value of addressing trauma through artistic practice.
The AROBA Black Mental Health Podcast Series premieres March 7. Check out a new episode each week for the limited series. Keep up-to-date with Workman Arts for future events and activities, including upcoming collaborations with the AGO.