Partner Spotlight: TAIBU

Earlier this year Peloton announced the first pilot portfolio of global community partnerships as part of the Peloton Pledge, our four-year, $100M investment to fight against racial injustice and inequity, and the promotion of health and well-being for all. We also specifically committed $20M to community investments and nonprofit partnerships fighting racial injustice. 

Today, we’ve headed to our Neighbor in the North to hear from TAIBU Community Health Centre, which provides healthcare and community development programs to Toronto’s Black communities. We spoke with Liben Gebremikael, Executive Director, to learn more about TAIBU’s mission.

Thanks for speaking with us, Liben! We’d love for the global Peloton community to get to know TAIBU better. How would you describe your mission? 

Liben Gebremikael: TAIBU Community Health Centre is at the forefront of the delivery of community health and social services to Black communities across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Our work aims to improve, promote and protect the health and well-being of Black populations through quality and culturally designed primary health care services and strategies.

TAIBU provides primary healthcare and related services for Black populations across the GTA  as its priority population, as well as residents of the local community of Malvern in Scarborough [a suburb of Toronto]. Recognizing that systemic oppression has fostered conditions of ill-health within Black communities, we strive to deliver these services through intersectional, equity based and culturally affirming practices that promote holistic wellness, health education, and prevention.

That’s very important work. What are you responsible for in your role with TAIBU? 

LG: As the Executive Director of the Centre, I have the honor and privilege of leading a team of committed and inter-professional staff and volunteers in achieving the objectives and mission of the organization. I also support the Board of Directors in operationalizing the strategic plan and direction of the Centre.

What are some of TAIBU’s more recent initiatives that you’re particularly proud of?  

LG: The barriers and health disparities that TAIBU is established to confront are systemic and institutional in nature; no single organization or institution is able to bring about a meaningful and lasting solution. Any effort has to be garnered and brought about by a community led collaboration, so many of TAIBU’s programs and services are planned and delivered in partnership and collaboration with several organizations, agencies and institutions. 

One proud initiative that we had the privilege of implementing with the City of Toronto’s Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit (CABR), is Black Mental Health Week. In 2019, TAIBU led a consortium of 10 community led groups to develop a communications and awareness campaign to highlight the impact of anti-Black racism on the mental health and wellbeing of Black Torontonians. This engagement led to the City of Toronto proclaiming the first Monday in March 2020 as Black Mental Health Day and subsequently the first week in March 2021 has been proclaimed as Black Mental Health Week.

The significance of this outcome has been that several cities across Canada have now followed the leadership demonstrated by the City of Toronto and TAIBU, hosting events during this period to raise awareness of the impact of anti-Black racism on the mental wellbeing of Black Canadians. Some cities, such as Ottawa, have even followed suit and declared the first week in March as Black Mental Health Week.

Tell us about TAIBU’s partnership with Peloton. What do you hope to accomplish?  

(LG) We saw many alignments between our mission and Peloton’s to empower people through health and wellness. By partnering with Peloton, we will be able to continue to provide culturally appropriate physical fitness and mental wellness initiatives to Black communities in the Greater Toronto Area. One area we want to focus on is addressing the barriers to accessing physical activity programs for racialized, marginalized and low-income members of the Black community so we can promote positive mental health, social networking and healthy lifestyle behavior.

What role does the community play in TAIBU’s work? 

(LG) One of the principles for our Model for Black Health and Wellbeing is the principle of Ubuntu. Ubuntu is a Zulu word that translates to ‘I am who I am because of who we all are’. In all our programs and services, TAIBU ensures that the community plays a significant and central role in the initiating, planning, developing, implementing and evaluating of all of our programs and services. We start by engaging the community and identifying their needs, strengths and assets. 

TAIBU is also a community led organization and members of the Board of Directors are community members with lived experience.