The CRIB: 2023/24 Impact Report

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Impact Report

Prepared for submission to the Institutional Strategic Initiatives (ISI) portfolio of the Division of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation (VPRI), University of Toronto (UofT)

Year 2 (May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024)

The CRIB at a Glance

By the Numbers...

12+ 2.8M 60+

Active research, policy, training and public awareness projects focused on prevention and intervention of homicide.

In funding allocated to The CRIB in the last 5 years.

1.1K+ 18K+

Followers on Instagram.

Individuals have collectively interacted with The CRIB’s Homicide Tracker and Tracking (In)Justice research platforms.

Faculty & community affiliates drawn from half a dozen universities, provinces and states in Canada & the US.

180+

Service providers across Ontario trained in posthomicide framework to help them consider culturally responsive approaches to care.

1.5M+ 380+ 10K+

Individuals have been reached via national & global media appearances on TV, radio, and print in Canada and the US.

Community members benefited from attending various presentations delivered by the Midaynta Community Services Healing Network Circle - a project supported by The CRIB.

Views worldwide from across 16 countries of 30@8:30The CRIB’s signature Instagram Live series.

42 Research Projects - In the Aftermath & RISE YBMen Toronto

44 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

45 FUTURE GOALS

Contents Statement

Content Statement

This Annual Report of The Centre for Research & Innovation for Black Survivors of Homicide Victims (The CRIB) covers the period May 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024 (Year 2). The report is intended to give an account of the performance of The CRIB having received its second year of ‘bridge funding’ from the Institutional Strategic Initiatives (ISI) portfolio of the Division of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation (VPRI) in the amount of $238,189. All dollar amounts used in this report are current Canadian dollars unless otherwise specified.

This Annual Report of The Centre for Research & Innovation for Black Survivors of Homicide Victims (The CRIB) covers the period May 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024 (Year 2). The report is intended to give an account of the performance of The CRIB having received its second year of ‘bridge funding’ from the Institutional Strategic Initiatives (ISI) portfolio of the Division of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation (VPRI) in the amount of $238,189. All dollar amounts used in this report are current Canadian dollars unless otherwise specified.

Executive Summary

In 2024 as we present the report on work for the period 2023-2024, The Centre for Research & Innovation for Black Survivors of Homicide Victims (The CRIB) celebrates five years of dedicated service to Black surviving family members, friends and communities coping with the traumatic impact of homicide. As a community-engaged and community-informed multidisciplinary research centre, we are truly proud of the considerable and demonstratable impact our collaborative efforts has resulted in, for Black communities across North America.

Below, I share with you just a few brief highlights of our achievements over the reporting period.

Research, Policy & Practice

In the area of research, we’ve presented our work at several international conferences and varied fora, such as, the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) Conference 2024; the 2023 National Research Conference for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms; and at the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). We’ve also partnered with CRIB faculty affiliates from a number of institutions to make steady progress on several ongoing research projects, for instance with the University of Michigan on the “Restore, Intervene, Support & Educate Young Black Men (RISE YBMen) project - an initiative that aims to culturally adapt, deliver, and evaluate the YBMen program for African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) men and boys ages 16 to 30 who reside in the Greater Toronto Area and have experienced the murder of family members or friends. This intervention is being delivered virtually and consists of the provision of supports designed to help young ACB males cope with symptoms of grief and bereavement as a result of experiencing the murder of friends and/or family members.

We’ve welcomed 2 doctoral fellows as we continue to ensure succession and legacy of research for young black scholars; and more recently we’ve been approached by the City of Toronto to advance Toronto’s 10year community safety and wellbeing strategy, SafeTO.

Where policy is concerned, we’ve made steady progress and now on the tail end of the production of two policy briefs co-created with the Canadian Black Policy Network (CBPN) and the Fraser-Mustard Institute for Human Development Policy Bench emanating from the findings coming out of our Survivors of Homicide Victims and Mental Health (SHVMH) project. Moreover, The CRIB was also invited to participate in the 3rd Annual Canadian Children’s Grief Symposium that aimed to build capacity to support grieving children, youth and families in the communities we serve.

On the practice front, we’ve launched The CRIB’s Neighbourhood Ambassadors Program (NAP) and consequently welcomed 8 neighbourhood ambassadors to The CRIB.

Executive Summary Cont’d.....

These neighbourhood ambassadors focus on outreach in priority communities, are on the ground in various communities and work to identify the needs of the Black community, particularly the needs of survivors of homicide victims. In addition, The CRIB was also invited to provide training to over 40 regional communications officers at the Parole Board of Canada in October 2023 in the form of our PostHomicide Training Workshop as we continue to strive to develop culturally responsive interventions, best practices and training for service providers.

Knowledge Mobilization & Reach

Throughout the reporting period, The CRIB was pleased to host two installations of its Film Screening and Panel Discussion, “Invisible Wounds - Stories of Survivorship” The first at the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus; and the second, at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work in commemoration of Black History Month 2024. Together, these events brought together close to 200 members of the community, researchers, policy makers and service providers. Moreover, The CRIB was also very active ‘on the ground’ in the communities. We were able to visit and engage several of our partner community organizations, including the Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education (YAAACE), and Midaynta Community Services.

Our project coordinators and neighbourhood ambassadors were also on the front lines in the communities as they continued to recruit for our ongoing projects.

They were able to visit several libraries, local businesses like barber shops and salons, and attend various events such as, The Day in the Life Event with Imani Mentorship Program at UTSC. Our reach also showed no signs of slowing down. For example, our popular live Instagram (IG) series 30@8:30 has now accumulated more than 10,000 post views from over a dozen countries around the world, and our website had close to 9,000 page views this year.

Building Global Partnerships

On the front of building global partnerships, in addition to the exploratory discussions we’ve held with University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa last year, we’re tremendously proud that we were invited to participate in the ‘soft launch’ of The Black & Brown Gun Violence Research Collective in Chicago, Illinois. As the only institution from Canada, this is a singular honour to be a part of a union of multi-disciplinary and crossorganizational scholars who seek to use their research expertise to fundamentally deepen understanding of, and motivate new action to address the structural disproportionality of gun violence in Black and Brown communities across North America.

With that, I invite you to peruse The CRIB’s second year, report for the period 2023/24.

Tanya L. Sharpe, MSW, PhD Founder & Director

The Centre for Research & Innovation for Black Survivors of Homicide Victims (The CRIB)

Vision

To develop culturally responsive approaches to support Black survivors of homicide victims throughout our global communities.

Mission

To reduce service inequities FOR and WITH Black survivors of homicide victims through the advancement of collaborative, culturally responsive research, impactful policy, and practice.

Values

Equity

From the Community, With the Community

Embrace & Drive Change

Create Sustainable Opportunities for Communities

Cultural Humility

Passion & Determination

Adopt Culturally Responsive Approaches

Strategic Goals & Priorities

Disseminate knowledge generated from our research and inquiry

Develop culturally responsive interventions for Black survivors of homicide victims.

Train emerging scholars on how to conduct communityengaged research WITH & FOR Black survivors of homicide victims.

Train service providers on how to deliver culturally responsive services to Black survivors of homicide victims.

Advocate for, and develop policy relevant to the culturally responsive provision of services for Black survivors of homicide victims.

Create sustainable opportunities to partner with interdisciplinary scholars, service providers and communities disproportionately impacted by homicide.

Oversight Structure

As per the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) entered into by, and between the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) and the Division of the VicePresident, Research & Innovation (VPRI), The Centre for Research & Innovation for Black Survivors of Homicide Victims (The CRIB) is governed by a Bridge Funding Committee. The Bridge Funding Committee meets on a quarterly basis and was established to ensure that the VPRI is informed of the progress and potential of The CRIB and to support its development. Members of The CRIB’s Bridge Funding Committee are listed below:

Professor Timothy Chan Associate Vice-President & Vice Provost, Strategic Initiatives (Co-Chair)

Dr. Tanya Sharpe Founder & Director, The CRIB (Initiative Lead)

Professor David Brenan Associate Dean, Research, FIFSW (Co-Chair)

Dr. Arij Al Chawaf Executive Director, Strategic Initiative Development (ISI Representative)

Dr. Khellon Q. Roach Assistant Director, The CRIB (Staff Lead)

Leadership Team

Core Team

Doctoral Fellows - Pipeline of Young Scholars

Dr. Khellon Q. Roach Assistant Director

Dr. Tanya Sharpe Founder & Director

Dominique Smith Grants & Development Officer

Travonne Edwards Doctoral Fellow

Monte-Angel Richardson Doctoral Fellow

Emmaline Houston Doctoral Fellow

Krystle Skeete Doctoral Fellow & Research Coordinator

Core Team

Project Coordinators

Research Assistants

Deshawn Hibbert Project Coordinator Neighbourhood Ambassador Program

Elo Igor Project Coordinator RISE YBMen Toronto

Ayssa Scipio Project Coordinator (Former) In the Aftermath

Megan McPolland Research Assistant

Zhongmin Lin Research Assistant

Navneet Mann Research Assistant

Nauman Aqil Research Assistant

Victoria Donkin Research Assistant

Jheanelle Anderson Research Assistant

Research Assistants Cont’d

Neighbourhood Ambassadors

Dezmond Arnkvarn Research Assistant Social Media Designer & Content Creator

Ruth Masuka Research Assistant

Aaminah Qureshi Research Assistant

Pictured above from left to right: Julian Campbell; Sheena Blake-Brown; Nikita Lafleur; Tanya Sharpe; Alomar Thorpe; Renaldo Brown; and Deshawn Hibbert (stooping)

Faculty Affiliates

The CRIB’s faculty affiliates are exceptional leaders, scholars and researchers. The CRIB is home to more than 50 faculty affiliates drawn from across the three campuses of the University of Toronto and also include a wide range of affiliated faculty from half a dozen universities in Canada and the US.

Faculty Affiliates

Faculty Affiliates

Community Affiliates & Institutional Partners

2. FINANCIAL UPDATE

Financial Update

The CRIB received $238,913 in funding for year 2 (May 1, 2023 - April 30, 2024), and was allowed to carry forward $36,833 from the previous year 1 (May 1, 2022 - April 30, 2023), together totaling $275,746. As of February 29, 2024, The CRIB spent $238,189, leading to a variance of $37,557.

The CRIB projects this variance amount ($37,557) to be reduced by approximately $15,000 or so taking into consideration the remaining two months in Y2 (March - April 2024) to pay part-time casual staff (undergraduate and postgraduate research assistants). To this end, a more accurate estimate of the variance at the end of Y2, would be $22,500.

Figure 1: Y2 - Revenue vs

ISI

External Funding Support Attracted

Over the last 2 years, The CRIB has attracted more than 3 times the amount of bridge funding received from ISI. Bridge funding received from ISI for Y1 and Y2 together stood at $472,804, while external research funding attracted in the last 2 years stood at $1.4 million.

$1.4 million

$472,804

Total (Y1 & Y2)

Total (Y1 & Y2)

External Funding Attracted

Bridge Funding Received

Project-Based Funding Available in Current Period (Y2)

Black Research Network - Ignite Grant

The Black Health Equity Lab (BHEL) - Connaught Grant

“The CRIB offered 7 project-based programs in the current period, totaling over 1.4 million in funding.....”

Leong Centre - Catalyst Grant

78,173

SSHRC - Insight Grant

Anti-Racism Directorate, Ministry of the Solicitor General

Movember - Scaling What Works in Community & Workplace

Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Grant

$468,312

City

Our Research Funding

(Since 2019)

Involved in nearly $6 million of sponsored projects

$2.4 M allocated to The CRIB

3. RESEARCH IMPACT & KNOWLEDGE MOBILIZATION

The CRIB’sHomicide Tracker

The CRIB continued to host and update its Homicide Tracker on its website. With approximately 8,664 page views and 3,526 unique visits, The CRIB’s website which hosts the platform continues to be a valuable resource for policy makers, program evaluators, advocates, researchers, funders, service providers, and community members in federal, provincial and local strategic planning initiatives who are focused on reducing homicide and its devastating impacts on ACB communities. The creation of the Homicide Tracker was initially funded through a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) - Institutional Grant.

DOCTORAL FELLOW TRAVONNE EDWARDS

Awarded Connaught PhDs for Public Impact Fellowship

Travonne Edwards, Doctoral Fellow with The CRIB was named as one of fifteen graduate students awarded a Connaught PhDs for Public Impact Fellowship for 2023-24. The program, which was launched in Fall 2022, aims to support doctoral students who are looking to make a public impact with their research. Each fellow will be awarded a fellowship and additional monetary support towards professional development and project expenses. Over the course of the 2023-24 academic year, fellows will participate in various professional development and networking opportunities, ending their year-long fellowship with a presentation at an annual showcase.

DR. TANYA SHARPE RE-APPOINTED AS Factor-Inwentash Chair on Social Work in the Global Community

Dr. Tanya Sharpe was re-appointed as the Factor-Inwentash Chair in Social Work in the Global Community for another five-year term (2023-2028). In this role, Dr. Sharpe will continue to build on existing partnerships between the Faculty and organizations representing Canada’s diverse population to enhance learning opportunities and improve community services; assist in further developing accessible services for immigrants and refugees; seek and evaluate policies and practices to improve services for individuals, families and communities in Canada and abroad; and further develop the Faculty’s existing international collaborations and partnerships with individuals and institutions around the world.

Invisible Wounds: Stories of Survivorship @ UTSC

Throughout the reporting period, The CRIB was pleased to host two installations of its Film Screening and Panel Discussion, “Invisible Wounds - Stories of Survivorship”. The first took place on September 13, 2023, at the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus; and the second took place on February 28, 2024 in commemoration of Black History Month at the FactorInwentash Faculty of Social Work. These knowledge mobilization events showcased a screening of short films by young Black men who lost family and friends to homicide in Toronto The films were created as part of a project led by The CRIB in collaboration with StoryCentre Canada and key community-based organizations. Funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the project engaged African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) survivors of homicide victims in digital storytelling to better understand the impact of murder on their wellbeing, their coping strategies, and the unmet needs of ACB Canadian survivors of homicide victims in Toronto.

VP & Principal, UTSC, Prof Wisdom Tettey

VC & President, Victoria University in UofT, Prof. Rhonda McEwen

From Left to Right: Tanya Sharpe (Chair); Rani Sanderson; Deshawn Hibbert; Tito-tae Sharpe; Jheanelle Anderson

Invisible Wounds:

Stories of Survivorship Take 2 @ FIFSW

From Left to Right: Tanya Sharpe (Chair); Alomar Thorpe; Tito-tae Sharpe; Rani Sanderson; Deshawn Hibbert; Jheanelle Anderson

Member of the audience poses a question to the panelists.

InvisibleWounds: STORIESOFSURVIVORSHIP

Featured at 11th International Digital Storytelling Conference

The CRIB was honoured to be invited to participate and present its short film “Invisible Wounds: Stories of Survivorship” at the 11th International Digital Storytelling Conference, entitled, “Radical Listening: Story Work for a Just Future” The conference was held in the Washington, D.C. region of the United States from June 20th – 23rd 2023 with local hoststhe University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC); Montgomery College (MC); the Smithsonian Institution (SI); and StoryCenter. The four day-conference featured four uniquely different experiences of engaging talks, inspiring presenters, receptions, and storytelling tours in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area, USA. The CRIB’s delegation was led by director, Dr Tanya L Sharpe and included, Jheanelle Anderson (research assistant, The CRIB); Tito Sharpe (Neighborhood Ambassador, The CRIB); and supported by our partners from StoryCentre - Rani Sanderson (StoryCentre, Canadian Projects Director); and Denise Kumani-Gantt (StoryCenter, Facilitator). Our delegation was not only invited to participate on the “Studio Theatre” panel which was chaired by Sherrie Carroll, but even more notably we were also invited as a Special Feature of the conferences’ Juneteenth program entitled, “Infusion Film Fest and Art Exhibition – Loud-NClear”.

Tito-tae Sharpe (Storyteller & Neighbourhood Ambassador, The CRIB), Jheanelle Anderson (Research Assistant, The CRIB) & Dr. Tanya Sharpe (Director, The CRIB)

30@8:30 - Season 5

For over 3 years, The CRIB has brought its popular Instagram Live Series 30@8:30 to over 10,000 people from over a dozen countries around the world. 30@8:30 creates a platform for The CRIB to have 30-minute candid conversations with interdisciplinary scholars and community service providers about structural inequities, homicide, trauma, and victimization that disproportionately impact some of our most vulnerable populations.

The CRIB was pleased to present its most recent programmingSeason 5 of 30@8:30 entitled, “Strange Fruit: Addressing the Violent Erasure of Black Bodies”. Broadcasted live on September 27, the first episode of 30@8:30 featured CRIB faculty affiliate and assistant professor at the University of Toronto Mississauga, Dr. Camisha Sibblis, who spoke on the topic of “Policing Black Bodies”. The second episode went live on October 4 and featured doctoral candidate Asia Ivey from the University of California Davis. Asia’s episode “The Retelling of our Truths” centred around the erasure of Black History through book banning.

Episode three aired on October 11 featured film producer and director, Rico King who spoke about his experience “Through the Looking Glass” as a film maker, activist and survivor. Episode four, took place on October 18 and featured CRIB faculty affiliate and associate professor at Boston College, Dr. C. Shawn McGuffey who addressed the topic of “Individual Community & Societal Consequences to the Policing of Black Bodies”. Episode five, went live on October 25 and featured CRIB faculty affiliate, assistant professor at University of California Davis, Dr. Shani Buggs. Dr. Buggs spoke about the importance of “Research as Activism”.

Episode six was recorded on November 1, with CRIB faculty affiliate and distinguished professor of Social Justice and Civil Rights Studies at the University of Georgia, Dr. Llewellyn J. Cornelius who offered insight relevant to how we can go about “Transforming Research into Policy and Practice”. Our season finale culminated with all of our guests gathering together in a fruitful discussion about the “Root Causes, Consequences and Solutions” to the violent erasure of Black bodies.

CRIB has brought its “The CRIB has brought its

from over a dozen countries from over a dozen countries around the world....” around

Dr. Camisha Sibbilis; Policing Black Bodies

Asia Ivey; The Retelling of our Truths

Rico King; Through the Looking Glass

CommunityEngagedResearch

FacultyDiscussionClub

On November 17th, 2023 Dr. Sharpe and Coordinator of The CRIB’s Neighbourhood Ambassador Program, Deshawn Hibbert presented on “Community Engaged Principles in Research, Policy & Practice” at the Community Engaged Research Faculty Discussion Club. This presentation focused on The CRIB’s core values and principles that inform our ability to design and implement culturally responsive research, policy, and practice in partnership with communities. The Faculty Discussion Club is designed to support those with an interest in deepening their theoretical and practical understanding of community-engaged research to connect with, and learn from, colleagues from across the tri-campus in order to strengthen both societal and scholarly impact.

Conferences Presentations

Throughout the reporting period 2023/24, The CRIB was pleased to make several conference presentations as we continued to ensure that we disseminate culturally responsive knowledge generated from our research. While more detailed information on international conference presentations is captured in the Supplementary Form Workbook, some highlights include our presentation at the National Children’s Grief Symposium, entitled, “There Are No Children Here: Exploring the Deprivation of Grief for Young Black Survivors of Homicide Victims”; “The Role of Social Work in Violence and Victimization Research” at the National Institute of Justice; and “The Invisibility Cloak of Grief for Black Survivors of Homicide Victims” at the Association for Death Education and Counseling 2024 Conference. Moreover, it is also worth noting that director of The CRIB, Dr. Sharpe was recruited to serve on the Awards Committee for the National Research Conference for Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms, a role she has served in for the last three years, since its inception.

Dr Tanya Sharpe moderate a panel on Understanding Vicarious Trauma and Examining Intimate Partner Violence Intersections and Interventions at the 2023 National Research Conference for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms in Chicago, United States (November 2023)

Conferences Presentations

Doctoral Fellow at The CRIB, MonteAngel Richardson present at the 2023 National Research Conference for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms in Chicago, United States (November 2023)

Dr. Tanya Sharpe (10th from left) pose with other conference participants at the National Institute of Justice in Washington, D.C., United States (January 2024)

Training Programs

Neighbourhood Ambassadors Program (NAP)

The Centre for Research & Innovation for Black Survivors of Homicide Victims (The CRIB) prides itself in being a community-engaged and community-informed multidisciplinary research centre. As such, The CRIB not only works FOR and WITH community, but it also believes in the philosophy, “nothing about us, without us”.

It is within this context that The CRIB was pleased to host a training program for its newly established Neighbourhood Ambassadors Program (NAP). The NAP operationalized by The CRIB endeavours to attract, employ, and retain community members who are desirous of contributing to community development activities. The Neighbourhood Ambassadors Program focuses on outreach in priority communities; are on-the-ground in various communities; and works on identifying the needs of the Black community, particularly the needs of survivors of homicide victims. Neighbourhood Ambassadors listen to the opinions of the community to understand what is important to them to respond to their concerns in a collaborative manner, and to improve access to services. Neighbourhood Ambassadors come from all walks of life and from communities across the Province of Ontario (in the first instance).

The CRIB has seen first-hand, the positive impact Neighbourhood Ambassadors can have from various research projects in the past. Neighbourhood Ambassadors have built relationships and trust with community members. With their effectiveness proven on previous projects, The CRIB has now extended the reach of Neighbourhood Ambassadors by formally introducing the “Neighbourhood Ambassadors Program” leveraging their expertise to help reach some of our most vulnerable communities. With The CRIB’s expertise and experience, it is uniquely positioned to support persons with lived experience and empower them to help their communities. The implementation of the Neighbourhood Ambassadors Program is aligned with the ethos of The CRIB to “create sustainable opportunities for communities”, and that of the Factor-Inwentash Chair in Social Work in the Global Community which “seeks ….to improve services for individuals, families and communities in Canada”.

“The CRIB

has invested significantly

in the training of Neighbourhood Ambassadors in areas such asconducting research with vulnerable populations, qualitative interviewing, digital storytelling, and equally important, the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS):

Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans

Course on Research Ethics (CORE). The areas covered by the training,

therefore helps to ensure that Neighbourhood Ambassadors are well equipped to conduct research and function as effective and efficient change agents.....”

TanyaSharpe,FoundingDirector,TheCRIB

Post-Homicide Training Parole Board of Canada

The CRIB is committed to the development of culturally responsive interventions, best practices and training for service providers and community-engaged agencies. The CRIB’s Post-Homicide Training is designed to advance the ability of service providers to provide culturally responsive mental health and well-being services and support to Black families and friends of homicide victims. It is within this context that The CRIB provided training to over 40 regional communications officers at the Parole Board of Canada in October 2023. The interactive program was developed by CRIB faculty and community affiliates who are exceptional scholars, researchers and community leaders throughout North America.

TheCRIBTeamvisitsYAAACE Community Outreach

The CRIB was honoured to visit our community partner, the Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education (YAAACE) to learn more about the many violence prevention and intervention programs they are involved in and leading across Toronto including - the Summer Institute, TO Wards peace, and the New Narrative. Founded in 2007, YAAACE is a black-led community organization who’s mandate to serve marginalized and under-resourced communities directly align with the ethos of The CRIB to “create sustainable opportunities for communities”. The CRIB is fortunate to have YAAACE as a community affiliate and we look forward to our collaboration on several upcoming research projects.

Pictured below from left to right: Devon Jones, YAAACE Founder & Dr. Ardavan Eizadirad, Executive Director, YAAACE

TheCRIB visitsMidaynta Community Outreach

At the beginning of the year in review (2023/24), director of The CRIB, Dr. Tanya Sharpe was pleased to be invited by our community partner, Midaynta Community Services to meet and have a meaningful roundtable discussion with the mothers of Mending a Crack in the Sky (MCIS) about how we can work together to improve our communities. Mending a Crack in the Sky (MCIS) is a dynamic program that consists of a dedicated group of mothers who are passionate about creating safe spaces to heal, mobilize, advocate and navigate relevant systems. The group is inspired by a Somali proverb stating that “if people come together, they can even mend a crack in the sky.” This has also been the basis of the action plan to address youth radicalization to violence and the alarming rates of youth violence primarily male youth violence. The group holds community meetings in different neighborhoods and takes an active community leadership role to address youth violence. The CRIB was honoured to contribute to this program through funding from the Anti-Racism Directorate of Ontario to extended Midaynta’s “Healing Network Circle” project last year. After speaking with the mothers of MCIS, Dr. Sharpe was also given the privilege to deliver the Keynote Address at Midaynta’s Iftar Gathering.

Dr. Tanya Sharpe (Director, The CRIB) listening attentively to the mothers of Mending a Crack in the Sky (MCIS) at Midaynta Community Services

The CRIB Community Outreach

Pictured to the left: Project Coordinator of the RISE YBMen Toronto Project at The CRIB, Elo Igor at The Day in the Life Event with Imani Mentorship program at UTSC.

Pictured below to the left & right: Posters and flyers of The CRIB’s projects, “RISE YBMen Toronto” supported by Movember and “In the Aftermath” supported by the Leong Centre on display at the Yorkwoods Library in the Jane & Finch neighbourhood.

Global Partnerships THE CRIB PARTICIPATES IN CONVENING OF BLACK & BROWN GUN VIOLENCE RESEARCH COLLECTIVE

The CRIB was pleased to take part in the “soft launch” of the Black & Brown Gun Violence Research Collective in Chicago, Illinois. The Black & Brown Collective is a union of multidisciplinary and cross-organizational scholars who seek to use their various research expertise to fundamentally deepen understanding of, and motivate new action to address, the structural disproportionality of gun violence in Black and Brown communities across North America. Over a dozen federal funders, partnering agencies and philanthropic organizations were in attendance. Dr. Sharpe is a founding Board Member of the Black & Brown Collective.

Media Coverage

The CRIB continued to be featured in university, national and global media, including TV, radio, print and online publications. To view these, and other new stories visit - The CRIB in the News.

The CRIB has reached an audience of over 1.5 million people over the last two years.

To view click here.

To read more click here.

Digital Visibility

The CRIB has also continued to maintain and enhance its digital visibility through a presence on social media (Instagram, Twitter, YouTube); its website; and its Quarterly Newsletter - The Word.

Instagram @thecribcommunity (formerly Twitter) @thecribtweet

1.1K+ followers

500+ followers

YouTube @thecrib

60+ Subscribers

The Word Newsletter

IntheAftermath CRIB Research Projects

In collaboration with key community-based organizations, The CRIB will lead focus group discussions and engage young African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) survivors ages 12 - 16 in digital storytelling to understand the impact of murder on the wellbeing, coping strategies and unmet needs of young ACB Canadian survivors of homicide victims in Toronto.

In the Aftermath is funded by a Leong Centre Catalyst Grant Award from the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children. Findings from this study will facilitate the broader objective of generating culturally responsive approaches and knowledge vital to meeting the needs of this overrepresented yet under-researched population.

RISEYBMenToronto CRIB Research Projects

Restore, Intervene, Support & Educate Young Black Men (RISE YBMen) Toronto is supported by Movember’s Scaling What Works in Community and Workplace Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Grant Fund, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. The project aims to support young African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) men ages 16 to 30 who reside in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and have experienced the murder of family members and/or friends.

RISE YBMen Toronto will deliver culturally adapted, social media-based (Instagram) mental health education relevant to the management of grief for young male ACB survivors of homicide victims. The project aims to improve the mental health and well-being of young ACB men by focusing two behavioural change clusters: (1) developing positive habits and accessing support to build mental resilience, and (2) developing and maintaining positive social support networks.

Acknowledgements

On this, the 5th anniversary of The CRIB, we recognize that we cannot, and have not, done this work on our own, and therefore we are grateful for all the support we have received.

Within this context, The CRIB would like to extend sincere thanks to the Office of the Vice President, Research & Innovation (VPRI), the dedicated staff of the Institutional Strategic Initiatives (ISI) portfolio of the VPRI, as well as the members of The CRIB’s Bridge Funding Committee. We would also like to express thanks to the staff of The CRIB (both past and present), our many faculty and community affiliates, along with our numerous national and international community and institutional partners, without whose support our work would not be possible.

We also express sincere thanks to the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) for providing a secure space where The CRIB can call ‘home’ We also extend our most profound appreciation to the countless Black survivors of homicide victims for whom we do this work in service to, and whose voices we are committed to uplifting.

Future Goals Looking Ahead

1.

Financial Sustainability – establish a financially stable and profitable center beyond internal funding.

2. Multidisciplinary Research & Training - grow and develop sustainable opportunities for interdisciplinary research and training at the undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral, faculty and community levels.

3. Policy & Practice - advocate for, and advance culturally responsive policies and practices for Black survivors of homicide victims

4. Network Building & Knowledge Mobilization - Foster and build global university and community partnerships to be a global catalyst and focal point to address the unique needs and experiences of Black survivors of homicide victims.

“Unless organizations hold themselves accountable to Black communities and commit to their wellbeing and survival, organizations will not be successful in the provision of culturally responsive services necessary for Black communities to not simply survive the unthinkable but to perhaps thrive thereafter it...”

TanyaSharpe,FoundingDirector,TheCRIB