BY: IVY NGO
The Downsview neighbourhood holds many leaders who educate, aid, and inspire residents in all sorts of ways. With Black History Month present, the Downsview Advocate would like to shed light on two Black heroes in the community, who continue to support the growth and knowledge in COVID-19 vaccinations, while living in a period of uncertainty and challenge.
With the pandemic becoming a prominent part of everyone’s lives, Patrick Shaw and Mar Lyn of the Black Creek Community Health Centre have made it their goal to educate the community on the infectious virus while facilitating vaccination clinics all around the area. Beginning in February of 2020, Shaw, the Program Coordinator of all Youth-Led Initiatives, and Lyn, the Clinical Coordinator, worked together to initiate accessible, pop-up vaccine clinics for all citizens who live and work in the neighbourhood.
The pandemic has not been easy for anyone, but with Shaw and Lyn’s help, residents from all over the locality were given hope that life would go back to some sort of normalcy. “I want to show people in this community that they haven’t been forgotten, that hope is not lost, and that vaccines will be available for them for as long as we’re here,” stated Lyn. With the purpose to lead the community to a safe space for vaccinations and questions about the ongoing crisis, Shaw, Lyn, and the Black Creek Community Health Centre, continue to provide free vaccinations in popular establishments including schools, churches, apartment buildings, and even their own offices. “I do this work because educating people is what matters most to me. Playing this critical role during the pandemic has really helped me connect with people, and remove the hesitancy and fear in our community,” says Shaw.
Overall, leaders all around the area continue to create a lasting impact through what they do - Shaw and Lyn, being just two of the many. It is important to acknowledge what these leaders do, and why they do it. Thus, let us celebrate Black History Month by celebrating all of the amazing Black leaders in Black Creek!