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Voices UnHeard: Research and Data

Research and Data

When Black Women Rise, So Does the Nation

Voices Unheard is the Black Women’s Institute for Health’s national, data-driven initiative to centre the lived experiences of Black women and girls across Canada. More than a survey, Voices Unheard is a bold, programmatic response to systemic neglect and a catalyst for change rooted in care, clarity, and collective power.

Voices Unheard is both a mirror and a mandate — making visible what has been ignored and mobilizing what has always been powerful: our voices, our
stories, our solutions

Grounded in equity and an anti-Black racism framework, Voices Unheard operates across five interconnected pillars, framed by our commitment to RISE:

R

Research

Research

Gathering disaggregated, race-based data to expose disparities and elevate lived experience

I

Initiatives for Policy

Initiatives for Policy

Translating data into actionable, community-informed policy recommendations that demand systemic reform

S

Systems Advocacy

Systems Advocacy

Driving targeted campaigns on medical dismissal, violence against Black women and girls, and institutional accountability

E

Education and Healing

Education and Healing

Raising awareness through public education, workshops, and culturally grounded health and wellness supports

Voices Unheard: Pillars of Work

RISE speaks to collective action and individual wellness. It implies resistance, awakening, and forward motion.

Research
  • We gather the truths that have long been ignored.
  • Collection of disaggregated, race-based data
  • National survey of Black women’s and girls’ experiences across the social determinants of health
  • Ongoing tracking every two years toassess progress and gaps
Initiatives for Policy
  • We translate stories into structural change.
  • Deep analysis of survey findings
  • Identification of policy gaps and systemic failures
  • Development of clear, community-informed recommendations
  • Engagement with government and institutions to advance change
Systems Advocacy
  • We name the harm and demand accountability.
  • Public campaigns and calls to action
  • Addressing systemic medical dismissal of Black women
  • Spotlighting the crisis of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse of Black women and girls
  • Formation of a Community Multidisciplinary Table to lead advocacy efforts
Education and Mobilization
  • We educate, inform, and mobilize communities to act.
  • Awareness campaigns rooted in lived experience
  • Community health education workshops
  • Storytelling, art, and media as tools for cultural and political change
  • School-based and community-based engagement
Healing and Systems Navigation
  • We care for our people as we fight for change.
  • Culturally grounded mental health programming
  • Peer support and system navigation for health and legal services
  • Programs to support safety, wellness, and community care

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