JCAN
May 7, 2025
Looking back with gratitude while building a stronger, healthier future for our community.
A Season of Celebration, Reflection, and Renewed Commitment to Black Wellness
Together, We Thrive: Celebrating Community, Courage & Care
President’s Remarks – Jacqueline Chen
Dear JCAN Family,
As we enter this season of growth and light, I’m filled with pride and gratitude. This year marks 10 incredible years of JCAN’s work in the community. Ten years of listening, building, advocating, and walking alongside those who trust us to lead with integrity and love.
April reminded us of the power of acknowledgment. Our inaugural appreciation event honoring Personal Support Workers and other often unseen healthcare heroes showed that when we stop to see and thank those who care for us, we create healing spaces.
As we step into May, a month dedicated to mental health awareness, lets take a moment to reflect on the quiet challenges so many carry, and the strength it takes to keep going, even when it is hard. Mental Health Week runs from May 5-11, and this year's theme is "Healing through Compassion."
For our community, and especially for those navigating complex histories and layered responsibilities, this theme is both timely and deeply meaningful.
Compassion can take many forms. Sometimes it means showing care and patience to those around us. Other times, it means extending that same care inward, allowing ourselves rest, space, and clarity. Healing doesn’t always require explanation. It often begins with small, intentional choices to honour what supports our well-being.
Let's lead by example: practicing healthy habits, offering grace to others, and being kind to ourselves. Let us listen with empathy, show up with care, and support each other with courage.Whether you’re a caregiver, a parent, a professional, or someone quietly seeking peace, you are not alone. Your wellness matters. You matter. Healing begins when we take personal responsibility for our well-being, while welcoming support from those who can walk beside us, not carry us.
Together, let's continue to lift one another up with love, hope, and healing.
Warmly,
Jacqueline Chen, President
A Message from Dr. Claudette Holloway
Dear Friends,
Every month at JCAN brings new opportunities to connect and uplift. Mental health challenges too often remain invisible in Black families and communities. At JCAN, we are committed to breaking the silence and stigma. Through events, advocacy, and open dialogue, we’re working to foster healing and wholeness.
We invite you to join us this month at our Annual Walk, Run, or Roll Fundraiser launch in Thompson Memorial Park May 31, 2025 at 10:00 AM. This event is a moment when we get to come together, outside, in nature, to move our bodies and nurture our spirits. We know that mental health doesn't exist in a vacuum, it lives in our daily lives, our environments, our relationships, and our routines. That's why I want to personally invite you to join us. Walking in nature has proven benefits for mental wellness:
It lowers stress and anxiety
Improves sleep and mood
Boosts our sense of connection and belonging
And reminds us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves
Save the date for our 10th Anniversary Celebration Gala in June. Your presence, your support, and your voice make all the difference.
In the spirit of community,
Dr. Claudette Holloway, Executive Director, JCAN
Membership Co-Chairs’ Greeting Scherrie
Ann Richards & Dennis Isaacs
Greetings, JCAN Family!
April was a moment to remember! Together, we hosted a heartwarming, sold-out celebration in honour of Personal Support Workers and behind-the-scenes healthcare workers. It was a room filled with joy, appreciation, music, and shared stories of strength and sacrifice.
We heard from attendees who said it was the first time they truly felt acknowledged for the work they do. These caregivers are the unsung heroes of our healthcare system and your support helped us shine a light on their importance.
We are so grateful to each of you who attended, donated, and supported. We can’t wait to continue creating more moments of connection with you this spring and summer.
With thanks and joy,
Scherrie-Ann Richards & Dennis Isaacs
Membership Co-Chairs
Honoring Personal Support Workers
JCAN'S Innaugral Appreciation Social
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Let’s Talk About It. Let’s Heal Together.
Mental health is health. And yet, in Black communities, it’s often the most neglected, misunderstood, or stigmatized part of our well-being. At JCAN, we believe awareness is the first step to healing. Mental Health Week runs from May 5th-11th.
Black Mental Health Matters: The Facts
1 in 3 Black Canadians report high levels of emotional distress.
Only 1 in 5 will receive culturally relevant mental health care.
Black youth face systemic discrimination and have lower access to early mental health interventions.
Racism, intergenerational trauma, and social isolation all contribute to increased risk.
Spot the Signs
In yourself, your family, your friends:
Sudden withdrawal from loved ones
Loss of interest in hobbies
Constant fatigue or low mood
Difficulty concentrating
Unexplained aches and pains
Anger, irritability, or hopelessness
What You Can Do
Start a conversation—ask, “How are you, really?”
Listen without judgment
Connect to resources: therapy, support groups, wellness events
Normalize rest, joy, and seeking help
Support each other in community spaces like JCAN