Recognizing NOSM’s Black leaders during Black History Month

February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate Black culture and the many contributions made by Black leaders—learners, physicians, academics and staff—at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM). The accounts of racism in medicine and the events of the past few years amplify the importance of the NOSM’s anti-racism movement.

As a medical school, we are boldly implementing a culture of anti-racism at all levels of the School. NOSM remains committed to removing social and economic barriers to medical school for Black youth and is making tangible improvements to the admissions process, curricular reform and BIPOC-led strategies that include scholarships, and advocacy and mentorship opportunities.

Celebrating Black History Month will look different to each of us. We may choose to support BIPOC learners at NOSM, support Black-owned business, engage in healthy conversation about Black history in Canada, or read one of these 25 books about being Black in Canada.

As Ibram X. Kendi, writes in his book How to Be an Antiracist, “When racist ideas resound, denials that those ideas are racist typically follow.”

It’s no longer enough to be “not racist.” “The opposite of ‘racist’ isn’t ‘not racist,’” Kendi writes. “It is ‘antiracist.’”

Dr. Sarita Verma
Dean, President and CEO
NOSM