August is recognized as Black Philanthropy month, an international campaign aimed at celebrating the impact of Black-led philanthropy on countless communities.
Philanthropy is not just about financial contributions. It can take a variety of different forms, including volunteering and mentorship, which not only supports the next generation of nurses, but invests in a more equitable and accessible future of health care for all.
This month we are highlighting three of our Bloomberg Nursing community members who routinely give back through their time, donations, and expertise as they share their motivation for supporting nursing students from all walks of life.
For Jade Shortte, Alumni Relations Officer at the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, and a donor to the Educating Nursing’s Future Fund celebrating Black philanthropy matters because it expands the definition of what giving looks like, and shows the importance of having an entire community in your corner.
“Highlighting Black philanthropy shows that we have always been investing in our communities. I’ve given back in so many ways over the years through my time and support, and now I’ve started giving financially. For me, it has always been about removing barriers for students, especially those who don’t always see themselves reflected or represented. I want them to know that they matter,” says Shortte.
Working closely with alumni and seeing the potential that so many students have in the Faculty of Nursing made Shortte want to make a difference and support them as they pursue their education. Her relationship to philanthropy, she says, has grown in ways she had not expected. She realizes that giving doesn’t have to be flashy, rather it’s about time, energy and commitment to a shared goal.
“I’m helping people see themselves as part of a collective story, where every contribution matters,” says Shortte. “I want more people – especially those who look like me – to feel like they belong, because we do.”
Angela Cooper Brathwaite (PhD 2004) is a proud alumna of Bloomberg Nursing, a yearly donor, and an active member of the nursing community. Her commitment to philanthropy in all its forms, is built on a foundational goal of helping nurses move forward in their careers.
“It is a privilege to help people, because I never have forgotten the ways in which other people helped me,” says Cooper Brathwaite recalling her fond memories of support from her thesis advisor as a young nursing graduate student at the University of Manitoba.
Throughout her long career as an RN, a researcher and the Past President of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO), Cooper Brathwaite has continued to give of her time to help others. In 2020, she led a study on anti-Black racism in the nursing workforce as the co-Chair of the RNAO’s Anti-Black Racism Task Force. From 2020-2023, she served as a member of Bloomberg Nursing’s inaugural Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigenous Reconciliation Working Group, collaborating on the provision of recommendations to improve EDI at the Faculty. She is currently leading a study to assess the contributions of internationally educated nurses (IENs) and their positive impact on Canadian nursing, and she is an expert panelist for the RNAO’s Anti-Black Racism Best Practice Guideline, which is currently under development. All her efforts to combat racism and her long history of volunteerism earned her the Order of Canada in 2022.
Giving back, she says, was instilled in her at a young age by her mother who was also a nurse. Growing up in Trinidad, Cooper Brathwaite witnessed how her mother’s generosity flowed through her community from meals to a helping hand.
“When my mother died, the number of people at her funeral was astounding, because she gave of herself so selflessly. I learned from her that you must help people, I choose to help others no matter their race, because it is a part of who I am,” says Cooper Brathwaite.
Bukola Salami (MN 2008, PhD 2014) is also a proud two-time alumna of Bloomberg Nursing, a previous donor to the GNSS Black and Indigenous Student Award and committed volunteer to the Bloomberg Nursing community. Currently a Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences and Faculty of Nursing at the University of Calgary, Salami stays engaged with the Bloomberg Nursing as a way to give back to a place that has benefitted her in so many ways.
A Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Black and Racialized Peoples Health, Salami’s research is focused on Black people’s well-being, particularly Black youth mental health.
“As a Black person, I know the inequities faced by this population. I have a commitment to addressing some of these inequities through my research and volunteer work which I see as an opportunity to dismantle anti-Black racism,” says Salami.
As a recipient of several scholarships and awards during her time as a student, Salami knows first-hand the importance of donor contributions. She is also proud to serve as a committee member for a Bloomberg Nursing PhD student and is excited to participate as a future mentor in the Faculty’s Alumni Student Mentorship Program.
“Bloomberg Nursing is an internationally renowned and I am proud to have received my degrees from this institution. It has also inspired my dedication to mentoring the next generation of PhD students, collaborating on future research, and building an even more engaged alumni community,” says Salami.
Find out how you can give back to Bloomberg Nursing. Contact Nicole Landa, Senior Development Officer, nicole.landa@utoronto.ca