Jane and Finch, home to many talented artists, trendsetters, activists and grassroots organizations

BY GLORIA O’KOYE

From the busy streets to congested traffic during rush hours, to the multiple parks spread throughout the community where families would bring their children out to play during warm days, and the elderly would gather around playing dominoes and chess. A community that is rich in different cultures, so you don’t have to look too far to get a little sense from experiencing some parts of the world. It is home to many talented artists, trendsetters, activists and grassroots organizations.

One of if not the most talked about neighbourhoods, Jane and Finch, is the name that seems to ring a bell whenever it is mentioned on breaking news or the topic of discussion from outsiders and in classrooms. A place where many immigrant families and refugees call home and are able to connect with other folks, a community that is well known for the strong family-like bonds where people know their neighbours and help one another.

Yet, the negatives such as street politics and violence overlook the good. No matter how many heart-warming stories of different impactful and influential community members are being told, once a bullet rips into the households or flowers placed at the spot of the fallen, it shadows any positive light in the community. In the near future, I would love to highlight more programs, grassroots organizations, inspiring youth and other community members.

For now, I want to address some of the on-going issues that the community have been voicing out. I got the chance to speak with an amazing individual from the community that I met a few years ago, Amanda Coombs, who is a Mental Health Facilitator and a Tenant Representative. She has been the voice for the people. She continues to fight the good fight, and I am grateful that she was able to shed light on some issues that have been a thorn in the community.

What are some issues in the community that the city has neglected?
“I recently facilitated a workshop on Nutrition and Fitness during COVID-19, and a common concern from participants was food insecurity. Many community members shared that they want to consume a nutritious and healthy meal, but they cannot afford it. The cost of fresh produce in our local grocery stores is expensive, the quality of the vegetables and fruit is poor, and there is little variety. Our stores also lack natural, organic and gluten-free grocery aisles as well. If community members want to access these types of groceries, they have to travel outside of the community. We are grateful for organizations such as: the Black Creek Community Farm, The Jane and Finch Family Centre, and The Prestigious African Canadian Support services who help provide families with groceries.

The city needs to address this issue; people who reside in marginalized communities deserve to eat healthily.

As a Mental Health Facilitator and a Tenant Representative, I help connect many people with mental health resources. Unfortunately, community members experiencing a mental health crisis have a hard time finding local support that they can access quickly and resort to going outside of the community to get help. The available resources are limited and do not cover a broad range of Mental Health Disorders.  Residents would also benefit from individual and group counselling sessions. There also needs to be more culturally sensitive supports for Black people experiencing a mental health crisis or living with a Mental Health Disorder.

The City needs to address anti-black racism regarding mental health and provide more funding to develop mental health programs further and support new initiatives.”

“Another issue in the community is Payday loan offices such as Money Mart and Cash Money that exploit low-income people who reside in poor communities. Our mailboxes are filled with payday loan flyers, and our telephones are flooded with calls from these companies as well, who are very persistent on the other end of the phone. Their job is to entice and convince people to take a loan.  They target people without credit cards with low credit and charge them extremely high-interest rates.

These loans leave residents indebted for years, and they are stuck in a vicious cycle of receiving a loan and paying it back with their paycheque. Unfortunately, many people do not understand the conditions of taking one of these loans and end up trapped. Borrowers also have to borrow to pay off the principle circling in more debt.

The city needs to regulate this sector and remove all these loan places that are populating our communities. They also need to have workshops to explain to people the terms of loan contracts and town hall meetings to address these issues.”

To end on a positive note, could you give us some inspirational individuals that you have had a chance to meet in the community?
“Mrs. Robinson is a senior that resides in our community. She goes above and beyond to assist and support other seniors who are in need. In her spare time, she assists seniors who face eviction by writing appeal letters, and advocating on their behalf, ensuring that they will be able to remain in the house they live in and keep their subsidy.

Zulith Rios is the founder of the organization “Lovely Women Rising.” Zulith facilitates workshops that teach women in the community how to have the best quality of life through self-love, self-care and resiliency. Her workshops are very interactive and include fun, therapeutic exercises such as cooking and dancing. It’s also a great opportunity to connect with other women who share similar experiences. Women leave Zulith’s workshop feeling empowered and with a great sense of well being.”

I want to thank Amanda Coombs for taking the time to speak to me and I hope that over time, these issues will be properly addressed.  For the readers, please stay tuned as I find ways to ensure that voices from the Jane and Finch community are heard.