My name is Kawaina Gordon my pronouns are she and her. I am from Jamaica and have been living in Canada for about 7 years now. An interesting fact about me is that I am currently learning Korean. I hope to visit Korea one day and immerse myself in this beautiful culture. My hobbies include learning and exploring new languages and cultures and expressing myself through different forms of arts such as poems, dancing, and drawings. Some examples of these hobbies are:

·         In Jamaica, my teacher gave me this project. I had to write a poem or any creative piece, I wasn’t really inspired by anything. I started to think about my mom and everything she’s been through and still manage to be constantly worried about me. The link was the poem I wrote, there is a line missing which I believe also make the poem. https://www.poetryinnature.com/poem/the-wind/ 

·         When I just started high school in Canada, I was connected to an amazing group of students. The attached link is us performing for multicultural night at our high school. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF27aFHS5jc 

·         And a drawing I did https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M974-UrNEh2ji9R6e9_3_vKG_SpGHoz9r0XW0PT1Ioo/edit?usp=sharing 

Initially, I started university enrolled in the Biomedical program at York University, then after two years in, transferred into the Liberal Arts program at Dalhousie University where I transitioned into Health Promotion. I have always been passionate about helping others and is intrigued by the different perspective on health that Health Promotion offers. I am excited about this opportunity not only because I will gain a new experience, but also because these are newly found interests since starting Health Promotion and would love to see my capabilities as well as my abilities to grow within this area.

Over the past 7 years since moving to Canada, I have experienced different challenges that have impacted my health, and with the help of Health Promotion, I was able to understand and overcome some of these challenges. I hope that this new perspective/experience enables me to help other immigrants and improve access to resources so that this community can better increase control and improve their health.

Mental health was a topic I never thought of or talked about with other people due to environmental and cultural belief but travelling to different countries made me see different attitudes of people and culture towards it. I could see the stigma and negative beliefs people had towards the topic. Studying in school expanded my knowledge and changed my own point of view. I would like to learn more and help other people who have limited knowledge at MHACZ and add my own experience and point of view to the work. I am so excited to learn from everyone.

I am happy to introduce myself. My name is Sasha Colley I am from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, with connections to the Preston township and Metis roots. I am in my final stretch of completing my Health Promotion degree at Dalhousie University. I am happy to have the opportunity to be doing my internship with Nova Scotia health, Mental Health, and Addictions. I have chosen health promotion as my career choice due to my deep connection with working with youth and seniors over the years. I have been involved with my community coaching cheerleading for 13 years. I also had the opportunity to collaborate with seniors teaching them technology. My future career goal is to work the education system helping youth as they transition through the system, with a focus on the BIPOC community.

Interesting things about myself are I have a black cat named Reya; I am an ambivert. I do not like spiders, tall buildings, and at times the winter. Trail walks, sitting by a lake or the beach are my favorite ways to de-stress and connect with nature. One major goal of mine is to take a road trip across Canada and visit Asia.

I recently completed my honours project, under the supervision of Dr. Debbie Martin, titled “Participatory Indigenous Health Research in Atlantic Canada: A Scoping Review Update”. This has led to my interests in equitable community engagement practices used in health promotion, and how we can use those to build supportive, inclusive environments. I also have interests in school mental wellness and engaging youth in meaningful ways. I am currently in the process of applying for a Masters of Health Promotion, planning to continue my work with Dr. Debbie Martin. 

Outside of academics, I love to be involved in the university and wider community. I am a member of the Truro & Area Community Health Board, and several societies at Dal. Beyond this, I love camping, listening to music, going to the beach, and am trying to be more crafty this year! 

I’m really looking forward to learning from and working with everyone this semester! 

I am fortunate to be completing my internship with the Mental Health and Addictions Central Zone team at Nova Scotia Health Authority. My interests and areas of scope focus on accessibility and equitable access for people with disabilities. Previously, I have engaged in work and academic experiences that have increased my commitment to community-based approaches to health promotion. My undergraduate Honors thesis focused on increasing physical activity in Nova Scotia communities for people with mobility-related disabilities. I have also worked as an educational assistant supporting children with ASD in school environments. I am eager for the opportunity to combine my academic knowledge and experiences with hands-on learning, and contribute meaningful initiatives that promote inclusive and supportive mental health services.  

Beyond my academic background, I enjoy a variety of hobbies and recreational activities. On evenings and weekends, I spend time going for runs outdoors, attending work outclasses, and reading new books. I am so excited to join this amazing team and am eager to see what this semester provides!