Bridging Divides Scholars of Excellence Workshop - Mental Health for All: Global is Local

Date: May 07, 2025
Time: 8:30 AM EDT - 3:30 PM EDT
Location: Oakham Lounge, Oakham House, 55 Gould Street Toronto, ON Canada M5B 1E9
Open To: All

In the Bridging Divides Scholars of Excellence Workshop Series, internationally recognized scholars are invited to engage with the academic community and share insights on complex and pressing global issues.

The one-day event Mental Health for All: Global is Local is convened by Immigrant Health and Well-Being Theme Co-Lead Josephine P. Wong (Toronto Metropolitan University), with discussants Scholar of Excellence Andre Renzaho (Western Sydney University) and Kenneth Fung (external link) (University of Toronto).

Join the Bridging Divides research program for Mental Health for All: Global is Local, a one-day event dedicated to advancing mental health equity through research, policy, and community-driven initiatives. Hosted at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, this event brings together scholars, practitioners, and community leaders to explore innovative strategies for mental health promotion.

Event highlights include:

Plenary Panel on Mental Health Equity – Featuring distinguished experts, including Andre Renzaho (Western Sydney University & Bridging Divides Scholar of Excellence) and Kenneth Fung (Director of Global Mental Health, University of Toronto), moderated by Josephine P. Wong (Research Chair in Urban Health, TMU).
Community-Centered Presentations – Bridging Divides team members share innovative projects focused on promoting mental health within Black communities.
Partnership Building Roundtables – Action-oriented discussions on strategies such as community gardens, storytelling, Afrocentric approaches, and digital mental health tools.
Networking Opportunities – Connect with researchers, students, and community partners committed to mental health equity.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations and build partnerships for a more inclusive approach to mental health.

Registration for this event is required.

Workshop Agenda
8:30-9:00 AM EDT	Continental Breakfast
9:00-9:15 AM EDT	Welcome and Opening Remarks Land Acknowledgement and Introduction
9:15–10:30 AM EDT	Plenary Panel: Mental Health Equity: Global Research, Policy, Practice Discussants: Andre Renzaho, Distinguished Professor, Western Sydney University and Bridging Divides Scholar of Excellence and Kenneth Fung (external link) , Professor and Director of Global Mental Health, University of Toronto Moderator: Josephine P. Wong, Professor and Research Chair in Urban Health, Bridging Divides Immigrant Health and Well-Being Theme Co-Lead, TMU
10:30–10:45 AM EDT	Break
10:45 AM–12:30 PM EDT	Innovative and Community-Centred Strategies for Mental Health Promotion — Findings from Two Community-Based Mental Health Projects with Black Communities Preliminary findings from the study on "Taking Action on the Mental Health of Black Mothers/Birth Parents in the GTA” \| Priscilla Boakye, Assistant Professor, Bridging Divides Affiliated Researcher, TMU Preliminary findings from the study on "Addressing the Stigma of Mental Illness in Black Families and Communities in Ontario" \| Joe Adu, TMU Black Scholar and Postdoctoral Research Fellow, TMU Results of a scoping review on “Impact of Community Gardens on Mental Health" \| Rade Zinaic, Bridging Divides Postdoctoral Research Fellow, TMU Results of a scoping review on "Restorative Storytelling for Immigrant Mental Wellbeing" \| Tania Correa and Raliat Owolabi, Bridging Divides Fellows and PhD students, TMU Results of a scoping review on "Digital Mental Health Intervention for Newcomer Youth: Accessibility and Effectiveness" \| Rui Hou, Linking Hearts Postdoctoral Research Fellow, TMU
12:30–1:30 PM EDT	Lunch
1:30–2:45 PM EDT	Partnership Building Roundtables Community Gardens & Community Kitchens for Mental Health Promotion Storytelling & Community Theatre for Mental Health Promotion Afrocentric and Mental Health Interventions/Strategies Mental Health Promotion in Settlement and Social Services Digital Mental Health Promotion with Newcomer Youth
2:45–3:15 PM EDT	Report back from roundtables and discussion Moderators: Josephine P. Wong and Rade Ziniac, TMU
3:15–3:30 PM EDT	Concluding remarks