Black and Boldly Belonging: Daring to Occupy Powerful Spaces as a Black Woman in Medicine
Saturday May 20 | 1:15pm - 2:15pm
Presented by Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa
As the only Black woman (and student) in her cohort at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa questioned if she belonged there. She knew she was walking into a boy’s club, as well as an institution riddled with systemic racism.
Oriuwa made a decision — if she was going to dare to occupy powerful spaces, she was going to do so unapologetically. She learned how to lean into authenticity to enable her to not only exist but lead in spaces that initially terrified her.
Today, she is a resident doctor in psychiatry; serves on Indigo’s board of directors, advising them on their efforts in advancing equity and curating spaces of wellness and inclusion; and has been named one of Time magazine’s “2021 Next Generational Leaders”. Mattel also honoured Oriuwa with a one-of-a-kind Barbie doll made in her image to commemorate her contributions as a frontline healthcare worker.
Oriuwa walks audiences through her journey to becoming a medical trailblazer to share lessons learned on leadership, navigating personal and professional risk, and finding courage through adversity.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this activity, participants will be able to: ​​
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Appreciate the impact of specific forms of discrimination (namely anti-Black racism) on the experience of medical learners in the educational environment
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Describe the various ways in which anti-Black racism and other forms of discrimination manifest in professional/medical environments
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Acquire strategies to develop the capacity to act as a genuine and effective ally