Fueling the heart, taming the sugar: Community, culture, and the power of wellness

The conversation around women’s health in the Caribbean diaspora continues to evolve, weaving together the threads of culture, science, and community. On October 18^th, 2025, the Jamaican Canadian Association (JCA) hosted its Annual Women’s Health and Wellness Symposium in Toronto, a full day gathering dedicated to exploring health through a culturally grounded lens. Organized by the JCA Women’s Committee, this year’s theme, “Fuel the Heart, Tame the Sugar: Know Your Numbers, Know Your Power,” highlights a growing recognition: that true wellness extends beyond the individual, touching every aspect of family, heritage, and collective care.

The event signaled a growing shift within community health conversations, one that centres around prevention, empowerment, and culturally informed care. The symposium was well attended by women (and men) of various ages and served as more than just a discussion on chronic conditions. It was a well-organized platform for raising public awareness, sharing knowledge, and facilitating learning across generations.

At its core, the symposium addressed the realities of diabetes and cardiovascular health, two chronic conditions that disproportionately affect African, Caribbean, and Black women. The central message was one of proactivity, consistency, moderation and personalization: that individuals must know their blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol levels, as baselines for self-advocacy and early intervention. Knowing one’s numbers means knowing when something has shifted and having the language and confidence to act.

The symposium featured presentations and panel discussions led by Sophia McKenzie, a nurse educator and leader in Africentric health approaches; Delaney Hines, Senior Manager of Health Equity and Partnerships at the Heart and Stroke Foundation; Zoe Barnett, a registered dietitian specializing in community nutrition practicing at Taibu Community Health Centre; and Juilett Saunders Hill, a nurse practitioner with a focus on women’s health and menopause care. Each contributor approached health from a practical, evidence-informed, and community-grounded perspective.

What emerged from their collective insights was a strong emphasis on balance and consistency. Health, they noted, is not simply about diet, or diagnosis, it’s about rhythm: regular sleep, moderation in food and stress, and an understanding that well-being must be sustained, not rushed. This perspective reflects an ongoing recalibration in public health communication, where the goal is no longer to prescribe but to empower.

The JCA Women’s Committee continues to play an instrumental role in shaping these dialogues. By convening local experts and community members in an accessible space, the committee demonstrates how grassroots leadership can complement the formal healthcare system. Many participants described the day as an important touchpoint, a reminder that prevention, mental wellness, and culturally relevant information remain crucial to closing the equity gap in health outcomes for Caribbean and Black communities in Canada.

The discussions also drew attention to mental health and chronic stress in the complexities of their daily lives, areas often overlooked and under-discussed in women’s health. Speakers and attendees alike emphasized the need for open dialogue about exhaustion, emotional strain, and the pressure to appear endlessly resilient. A shared refrain, “It’s okay not to be okay,” reflected a shift toward collective acknowledgment that mental wellness is not separate from physical health. Stress, when unaddressed, can manifest in the body as hypertension, fatigue, or burnout, all of which require both medical and social response.

Beyond the sessions, the Marketplace component showcased local vendors, wellness resources, and community organizations, transforming the event into a living demonstration of health promotion through connection. Attendees had opportunities to learn about new wellness products, engage in brief physical activity, and build relationships that extended beyond the event itself.

The symposium’s Gold Sponsor, RBC Insurance, played a key role in supporting the event’s delivery, reflecting an important trend: private partners increasingly recognizing their part in advancing community-based health literacy and outreach.

Dr. Dana Powell, Chair of the JCA Women’s Committee, delivered the closing remarks. She highlighted the need to continue expanding culturally competent health initiatives within the diaspora. She emphasized that while community events alone cannot replace systemic reform, they provide a foundation, a space where knowledge becomes empowerment and connection becomes care.

The JCA Women’s Wellness Symposium demonstrates the evolving nature of public health dialogue in diaspora communities representing a move toward localized health governance, where culture, data, and lived experience intersect. More than a single-day event, it is part of a broader movement; one where wellness is not only measured by metrics, but by access, equity, and belonging.

For Caribbean women across Canada, this type of forum affirms an essential truth: health promotion is not a service delivered to a community; it is a partnership sustained within one.