Canada recently announced that it planned to welcome a little more than 400 thousand immigrants in 2021 to become permanent residents. But if you are racially marginalized, what is it like to start a new life in a new country? What are some of the barriers to navigate especially when it comes to taking care of mental health? In this episode you’ll hear from Arzoo Multani, a young South-Asian woman who had to deal with the racism, family stigma and the police first before she got help for her mental health, Petrona Joseph, author and entrepreneur, who’s aiming to destigmatize mental health in the Black community by sharing her own struggles, Amy Go, President of the Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice, who talks about using her advocacy work as her therapy and Ehsan Saadat, an Afghan refugee, who shared what its like to escape Kabul and the Taliban and call Canada home. Psychotherapist Sarah Ahmed also joins us to help us understand the BIPOC experience when it comes to taking care of mental health.  

This episode contains discussion on mental health issues. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is in crisis please go to your local hospital or call 911 immediately. For information about services in your area, please visit www.cmha.ca. To reach the Canada Suicide Prevention Service, call 1.833.456.4566 or 1.866.APPELLE in Québec (1.866.277.3553). 

Other resources:

Wellnest.ca

Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice

Bell Let's Talk