Black History Month is not only a time to reflect on the past, but to recognize the present-day impact of Black healthcare workers who continue to lead, advocate, and care in complex systems.

In this session, nurse and mental health advocate Sosa Eweka-Valentine shares her journey in healthcare — including the challenges of underrepresentation, the impact of microaggressions, the breakthroughs that shaped her leadership, and the lessons learned as a Black woman in the sector. 

Drawing from frontline experience, this webinar explores what it means to care for others while also finding the courage to navigate bias, advocate for yourself, and support your team. 

Participants will reflect on how representation in healthcare leadership influences patient trust, cultural safety, and team dynamics — particularly in continuing care settings where many workers are immigrant women and people of colour. 

Grounded in both story and strategy, the session highlights practical ways to foster inclusive and psychologically safe workplaces, strengthen resilience without sacrificing well-being, and build mentorship and community networks that prevent burnout. 

By centering Black History Month within the broader conversation of workplace safety and inclusion, this webinar invites healthcare workers to reflect, learn, and contribute to care environments where every voice is valued and every professional can lead with both competence and courage. 

By the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Reflect on the impact of diversity, equity, and inclusion in frontline healthcare settings and how these principles influence workplace safety and team culture. 
• Understand key insights from my journey in healthcare — including the challenges, breakthroughs, and lessons learned as a Black woman in the sector — and how lived experience can inform leadership and inclusive practice. 
• Identify practical strategies for navigating microaggressions, bias, and underrepresentation in professional healthcare environments. 
• Recognize the importance of representation in healthcare leadership and its connection to patient trust, team morale, and culturally responsive care. 
• Apply sustainable self-care and resilience strategies to prevent burnout and advocate for personal and team well-being. 
• Explore mentorship and peer-support approaches that strengthen networks, foster belonging, and contribute to safer, more inclusive workplaces.