This Black History Month, as we celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black individuals throughout history, we also recognize the importance of nurturing the next generation of Black leaders.
Mentorship plays a crucial role in this process, providing guidance, support, and inspiration. We're incredibly honored to showcase two extraordinary individuals who embody the spirit of Black History Month through their dedication to mentoring. They are national champions in this field, empowering Black youth and shaping a brighter future. Join us as we celebrate their remarkable contributions and the inspiring work they do.
Professor Bukola Salami, Ph.D.
Researcher, Innovator, Force of Nature
Professor Bukola Salami is a Registered Nurse, Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Black and Racialized People’s Health and a Full Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary. She previously held the rank of Full Professor in the Faculty of Nursing and was Director of the Intersections of Gender Signature Area in the Office of the Vice President Research, both at the University of Alberta.
Professor Salami’s research program focuses on the well-being of Black, immigrant, and racialized people. She has been involved in over 90 funded studies totalling over $230 million. She recently received a $2.5 million SSHRC Partnership Grant titled Transforming the Lives of Black Children and Youth in Canada.
She founded and leads the African Child and Youth Migration Network, a network of around 50 scholars in four continents. In 2020, she founded the Black Youth Mentorship and Leadership Program, the first university-based fully interdisciplinary mentorship program for Black youths in Western Canada. This program seeks to socially and economically empower Black high school youths to meaningfully contribute to Canadian society. Her work on Black youth mental health informed the creation of the first mental health clinic for Black Canadians in Western Canada (which was founded by Africa Centre and the Alberta Black Therapist Network). She has presented her work to policy makers (including the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health). She has trained over 100 undergraduate and graduate students, including many (~10) who are now Assistant or Associate Professors.
Professor Salami is Vice President of the Canadian Nurses Association and board member of Black Opportunity Fund. She is a former Board member of Africa Centre (the largest Black organization in Western Canada), the Alberta College of Social Workers, Black Health Alliance, Edmonton Local Immigrant Partnership, National Association of Nigerian Nurses of North America, International Nursing Interest Group of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, and Project Esperance (a housing unit for women in Toronto). In addition to being an Editor for the Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, she is an Associate Editor of the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) and on the Editorial Board of Nursing Inquiry, Nursing Philosophy, and Qualitative Health Research. She is a board/council member of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, an advisory board member of the CIHR Institute for Human Development, Child and Youth Health, and on the Scientific Advisory Committee on Global Health to the Government of Canada.
Dr. Salami has received several awards for research excellence and community engagement: 100 Accomplished Black Women in Canada; Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing Emerging Nurse Researcher of the Year Award; College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CARNA) Award for Nursing Excellence; Rosalind Smith Professional Award from the National Black Coalition of Canada – Edmonton Chapter; Alberta Avenue Edmonton Top 40 under 40; Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame; Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Nursing; Killam Accelerator Award (a $225,000 value for research); Top 25 Canadian Immigrants; Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal; Health Research Foundation Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award; and Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
Dr. Leroy Clarke, Ph.D.
Scientist, Change-maker, Trailblazer
After completing his doctoral work at OISE, University of Toronto, Dr Leroy Clarke was inspired to continue this mentoring, training and coaching journey. In his research, he had the amazing honour of investigating the impact of mentoring on over 250 racialized students, primarily from Black and other underrepresented backgrounds, during a ten-year period 1994-2004 from the University of Toronto Summer Mentorship Program (UTSMP). This study addressed the systemic issue of equitable science education for underrepresented groups in careers such as medicine.
The objective was to explore how mentoring could improve the historically low acceptance rates of Black and Indigenous students into the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. The results were remarkable: by 2005, ten mentees from the program were accepted into various medical schools—five of whom joined the class of 2008 at the University of Toronto, a substantial increase from the typical zero to two accepted students. Key findings revealed enhanced confidence levels and increased school and community engagement among students upon returning to high school, along with a greater awareness of academic and career options. Mentees expressed that the influence of the UTSMP extended well beyond that summer, marking it as a pivotal moment in their educational journeys.
Recognizing the significance of these findings, he established a federal not-for-profit organization in 2013 to perpetuate this essential work. Now, over ten years later, the organization has supported hundreds of mentees and engaged numerous mentors, many of whom contribute informally.
Having taught at the secondary level, he also observed the alarming underrepresentation of Black and Indigenous educators, which is detrimental to racialized students; it's hard to envision a future when you don't see it reflected in your surroundings. To address this, he launched various initiatives, including Black Student Clubs and community STEM programs, and worked as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consultant. Today, his mentoring efforts continue, emphasizing community engagement and intergenerational involvement.
Mentor Canada has been a valuable partner in his journey over the past two years, providing him with the comprehensive virtual mentoring platform, Mentor Connector. This platform offers customizable features for matching, communication, resource sharing, and program management. The organization also benefits from a wide range of professional and learning resources, including sponsorship to the 2024 Summer Institute on Youth Mentoring at Portland State University in Oregon, USA. This 15th annual Summer Institute focused on the intentional engagement of activities within mentoring relationships. Participants had the opportunity to learn from leading scholars and critically discuss the implications for program policies and practices. He was honoured to receive the 2024 Tom Keller Visionary Mentor Award at the closing ceremony.