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This work began with the vision of Juanna Ricketts, a long-standing member of CMHA Halifax-Dartmouth who was passionate about reducing stigma around mental health and suicide within Black communities. Juanna openly shared her own mental health journey so that others might feel safer reaching out for help, and she dreamed of becoming a safeTALK trainer to help others do the same.
With the support of CMHA Halifax-Dartmouth, Juanna secured funding from the Mental Health Foundation to pursue her vision. Tragically, just two days before her safeTALK Train-the-Trainer, Juanna experienced a stroke and did not recover. With Juanna's blessing, CMHA Halifax-Dartmouth and Roots of Hope continued working toward her dream: building a network of Black suicide prevention trainers who can provide culturally responsive and trauma-informed training and help create safer spaces for conversations about mental health and suicide.
Suicide prevention in Black communities can be shaped by experiences of racism, discrimination, historical trauma, stigma, and barriers to accessing mental health and other supports. These experiences can influence how mental health and suicide are understood, discussed, and responded to within families and communities. Building trust and creating culturally responsive spaces for these conversations is essential.
Having Black suicide prevention trainers facilitate training within their own communities can help reduce barriers and create opportunities for participants to see themselves reflected in the people delivering the training. Trainers who understand the cultural and community context can draw on relevant experiences, language, and strengths while creating spaces where participants feel respected and heard. Supporting Black trainers also builds local capacity and strengthens sustainable networks of suicide prevention. By investing in community leadership, Roots of Hope is helping ensure that suicide prevention education is accessible, relevant, culturally informed, and grounded in trust and lived experience.
Gloria Chinonso immigrated to Halifax from Nigeria and holds a Master of Science from Mount Saint Vincent University in Applied Human Nutrition. She currently works as a Nutritionist at the North End Community Centre. Roots of Hope first connected with Gloria through a community research project focused on supporting people of African descent as they reintegrate following incarceration.
After participating in safeTALK as a Community Navigator, Gloria shared her own mental health journey and her desire to help others through suicide prevention training. Today, Gloria delivers ASIST and openly draws on her lived experience to create meaningful, culturally responsive learning. Her courage and commitment have inspired others in the Black community to become suicide prevention trainers and advocates.
Trina Fraser and Missy Searl bring their work with Preston & Area Family Resource Centre into suicide prevention through a shared commitment to strengthening connection, cultural pride, belonging, and family wellbeing. The program recognizes the unique historical and lived experiences of African Nova Scotian families and supports parents and caregivers in nurturing their children’s identity, resilience, and sense of self-worth.
As suicide prevention trainers, Trina and Missy build on this foundation by creating culturally responsive spaces to talk openly about mental health and suicide. Their work recognizes that strong families, cultural connection, supportive relationships, and a sense of belonging can be important protective factors. By connecting culturally grounded family support with suicide prevention education, they help strengthen the capacity of families and communities to support young people and one another.
Wyndolyn Brown and Tyiesha Colley of Empowerment for Hope bring a survivor-led, community-based approach to suicide prevention grounded in resilience, connection, and hope. Empowerment for Hope supports people affected by intimate partner violence, gender-based violence, domestic sex trafficking, and other forms of trauma, with a particular focus on marginalized and underrepresented communities, including African Nova Scotians, newcomers, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Their work recognizes the complex connections between trauma, exploitation, addiction, homelessness, and mental health, and the increased barriers that can make it difficult for people to access support. As suicide prevention trainers, Wyndolyn and Tyiesha use their experiences and community knowledge to create culturally responsive, trauma-informed spaces where conversations about suicide can happen with compassion and without judgment. By amplifying survivor voices and strengthening community connections, they help transform experiences of trauma into pathways toward healing, hope, and lives worth living
Black community members have greater opportunities to engage in suicide prevention conversations with trainers who understand and reflect their cultural and community experiences
More Black community members have the knowledge and skills to recognize suicide risk, respond with compassion, and connect people to support.
Culturally responsive training creates safer opportunities to talk openly about mental health and suicide, helping challenge stigma and encourage help-seeking. .
Black trainers are equipped to take leadership in suicide prevention within their own communities, creating sustainable local capacity and networks..
Training strengthens relationships among community organizations, healthcare providers, trainers, and people with lived and living experience, creating stronger pathways to support.
Interested in bringing culturally responsive suicide prevention training to your organization or community? These Black suicide prevention trainers bring knowledge, lived experience, and a deep understanding of the communities they serve.
Visit our Trainers page to learn more about their work and find out how you can connect with a trainer to explore training opportunities.
Suicide prevention in Black communities requires an understanding of the unique social, cultural, and historical experiences that can shape mental health and access to support.
Explore Dr. Beverly-Jean Daniel’s research to learn more about the challenges, strengths, and opportunities for strengthening suicide prevention and mental health supports in Black communities.
Explore upcoming suicide prevention workshops offered by Black trainers for Black communities and organizations. These opportunities provide culturally responsive, trauma-informed learning spaces to build knowledge, confidence, and skills for supporting mental health and responding to suicide. View upcoming workshops and find an opportunity to connect, learn, and build community capacity.