In the first year of the BScN program, Dorcas Nkrumah and Thianna Edwards were both immediately drawn to the Canadian Black Nurses Alliance U of T Chapter (CBNA UofT). A student club launched just over three years ago, the CBNA U of T Chapter engages nursing students and other health professions from across U of T, to create a sense of community for Black nursing students and other underrepresented groups. For Nkrumah and Edwards, there was no question of them signing up to be members, knowing they said, that it would provide them with a sense belonging in a faculty where there are few Black students.
“Sometimes you just need be with people who understand your perspective and know what it is like to wonder if your client is being rude to you because they had a bad day or if it is because of the colour of your skin,” says Nkrumah who is the President of the CBNA UofT Chapter for 2025-26. “CBNA UofT provides that sense of shared connection, mentorship, and community for us.”
Building a sense of community is something that Edwards says she saw the previous executive work towards constantly, and their hard work in establishing networking opportunities for CBNA U of T members was something that encouraged her to step into a leadership role herself.
“Their dedication made me want to continue their efforts in advocating for Black students and future nurses,” says Edwards who is also the Vice-President of CBNA U of T, “amplifying the voices of Black students is very important to me.”
Expanding mentorship and professional development
This year, CBNA U of T is hoping to create more opportunities for interactions between first- and second-year BScN students by partnering with the Nursing Undergraduate Society (NUS) on their mentorship program. Members of the CBNA U of T executive will provide mentorship to Black mentees in their first year of the program upon request.
“We heard from students during orientation that they really wanted an opportunity to have a Black mentor, and we felt this was another way to have a direct impact on future Black nurses,” says Edwards.
The benefits of the program they say, are that students are connected with someone who understands the Black experience, and can help them navigate the accelerated nature of the program, while also providing reassurance during first-time experiences such as clinical placements.
In addition to mentorship, CBNA U of T is also set on providing more professional development opportunities for future Black nurses. The executive has planned a panel event in May that will feature different nursing specialities in partnership with the main organization of the Canadian Black Nurses Alliance.
“During my placements, I’ve noticed that Black nurses are highly visible in some specialties, yet far less present in others,” says Nkrumah, “We always hear that nursing offers countless opportunities, and I wanted to help our members see just how much is possible with their degree.”
Recognizing the achievements of Black nurses, is something both Nkrumah and Edwards say is a central component of Black History Month for the CBNA U of T. In addition to hosting a Dance Day on February 9th with choreographer Cassandra TouTou alongside members of the Black Medical Students Association, Bloomberg Nursing alumni will be taking over the CBNA U of T Instagram channel each week of February to share their experiences as Black nursing leaders.
“Black History Month has always been important to me – even as a kid – and now as a Black future nurse it is incredibly important that we are showing the achievements of Black nurses and exploring the many ways we can make a positive impact in this profession,” says Nkrumah.
Connect with the CBNA U of T Chapter
@cbnauoft and via their website. https://sop.utoronto.ca/group/canadian-black-nurses-alliance-university-of-toronto/