About Us

‘AGATA’ means “Virtuous Good”

It is with this meaning that we aim to create mentally healthy Black, and historically diverse communities in the Scarborough and the GTHA. We’ve seen where systemic racism has played a major role in establishing critical barriers to accessing good mental health care for vulnerable populations across Ontario.

Little girl of colour laying in the grass outside with a male cardinal bird perched on her finger.

Our Mission

AGATA Resource Centre’s purpose is to provide the Black community in Toronto with mental health education services and resources. We aim to empower every member with the support they need to improve their mental well-being.

Our Vision

We envision ARC as a hub of mental health education for Black folk. A world where Black people are supported, empowered, and informed on their mental health and wellness. A world where ‘mental health’ is destigmatized in Black communities.

Our Model

Identify

Identify the issues and challenges experienced in one’s life.

Educate

Address mental health challenges by teaching and awareness.

Communicate

Create and provide safe spaces to share and engage in discussions with others.

Elevate

Determine the tools needed to create paths for good mental health.

“My experience with mental health started when I was 8 years old. I witnessed my cousin struggle with mental illness, and the hardship on my grandparents to provide care for him.”

— Philestena McLeod, Founder & Executive Director

our history

More About ARC

We are Black-owned, Black-led and Black-focused, with mental health education at the forefront of all our programs and services. ARC was created in 2018, as a response to the numerous threats to mental health experienced by many individuals and families of African and Caribbean descent.

We recognize the many intersections of Black mental health, such as: anti-black racism, systemic oppression, racial and intergenerational trauma, and other forms of structural barriers that affect the mental health outcomes of our community. AGATA exists to improve access to culturally affirming mental health education, so that our populations receive effective support and resources to improve their wellbeing.

OUR PARTNERS & FUNDERS

Black Ancestry Acknowledgment

Black people have lived in Canada since the beginnings of the transatlantic settlement and slave trade in the 1600s. Throughout the 16 and 1700s, over 4000 Black people were brought from the West Indies and Africa as slaves to Canada. Slavery continued as a legal practice until 1833, when the British Parliament officially abolished slavery in all its colonies. Since then, Black people have settled in provinces spanning from the east coast to the west, continuing to be harassed, profiled, and discriminated against based on race. We would like to acknowledge the often-overlooked enduring legacy of systemic and institutional racism in Canada. We have lived on this land for hundreds of years, making invaluable contributions to this country. We claim our humanity, history, and place on the soil of this land.

Land Acknowledgment

The ground we are standing on today is the traditional territory of many nations encompassing the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples. We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Williams Treaties signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands.