Jenell Fights Anti-Black Racism with Love
When Jenell Austin started her career in social work, she had the opportunity to combine her passion for helping others with her love for cooking by working in an EarlyON program where she made meals with young parents and their children.
“More than I like to feed myself, I like to make food for others,” she says.
Reflecting on her journey into the field, Jenell fondly remembers a conversation she had with a former professor who talked about showing love to the people around us.
“That program was a chance for me to learn how to appropriately show love to the people we serve. My passion for others is why I’m so invested in community work.”
Bringing her selfless attitude with her, Jenell is already making headway in her new role at LAMP Community Health Centre as a Project Manager for Combating Anti-Black Racism (ABR) – a role being funded by both the West Toronto and Mississauga Ontario Health Teams to address ABR and improve health equity within their networks.
Recognizing education as a foundation for meaningful change, Jenell had spearheaded training and educational opportunities for healthcare professionals, enabling them to better understand and address the impact of ABR. By providing support to LAMP and other organizations in accessing resources and services, she ensures that healthcare providers have the necessary tools to tackle health disparities effectively.
“I don’t need to be at the decision-making table to create system change. I like to think of things from the ground up. If I can help to change the mindset of people at the most basic level of care, then eventually everyone at the table will have a health-equity mindset,” says Jenell.
Fortunately, Jenell finds support and inspiration within LAMP, acknowledging that while no organization is perfect, she’s empowered to continually improve outcomes for staff and clients. Her time at LAMP has further fueled her passion for health equity work, motivating her to push boundaries and drive positive change.
Currently, Jenell is leading research on Black mental health aiming to shed light on the challenges faced by Black communities.
Part of Jenell’s research seeks to build trust in healthcare among Black communities. “There’s a sense of distrust that’s has been passed down for decades. You don’t have to look that far into history to see it. The Tuskegee experiments are a perfect example of unethical research where Black people with syphilis were not told they had it and were withheld from treatment,” Jenell says.
By approaching her research through mixed methods, including surveys, interviews and focus groups, Jenell is ensuring that the community's narratives are heard and included with the data. Her research aims to provide recommendations for holistic, client-centered care and rectify historical research practices that failed to prioritize the needs and voices of Black communities.
“This really is a labour of love. When you put the community’s needs ahead of your own, you can get some tremendous outcomes.”