BLACK COALITION FOR AIDS PREVENTIONAt the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP), we know that standard health surveys and consultations often miss the mark. They don’t always capture the real, lived experiences of Black gay, bisexual, and queer men. To help create sexual health care in Toronto that is actually affirming and accessible, Black CAP teamed up with academic and community partners to launch the VIBE-BGBM (Voices, Insight, Belonging & Equity for Black Gay and Bisexual Men) Project.
We’re excited to share the first community feedback document from this work: In Living Colour: R&B Sip N Paint Town Hall Community Report Back & Research Brief. Black CAP helped design and run this project, and we co-own the findings alongside our partners.
A Team Effort
This project was a collaboration between community groups, research labs, and universities, including:
* Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP)
* SCWaSH Lab (University of Guelph)
* African and Caribbean Council on HIV/AIDS in Ontario (ACCHO)
* Making Spaces Lab (OISE, University of Toronto)
* Touchy Subjects Lab (Western University)
* The VIBE-BGBM Project
Changing the Way, We Listen through Art
Instead of a boring focus group, we hosted the “In Living Colour” Town Hall at The 519 on Church Street. We gathered 31 people from across the GTA for a day of food, music by DJ Blackcat, and creativity.
The goal was simple: answer the question, “What does affirming healthcare mean to you?” While they painted on canvas, participants had open conversations with peer researchers. We also used digital polls and follow-up feedback to make sure everyone’s perspective was heard.
What We Learned: The Big Takeaways
The feedback showed some serious gaps in current health services, but it also gave us a clear idea of how to fix them:
Where things are falling short: People talked about a lack of “cultural safety” in clinics, a need for better mental health support, discrimination at work, and the lingering stigma around sexual health and chemsex.
What is actually working: Peer-led PrEP awareness, word-of-mouth recommendations for “safe” doctors, easy access to self-testing, and messaging about harm reduction that focuses on pleasure rather than judgment.
The need for “Third Spaces: Many participants spoke about feeling isolated. There is a huge need for safe, fun spaces where Black queer identity is celebrated.
Health is more than a doctor’s visit: We learned that sexual health can’t be separated from other things, like housing, mental health, dignity, and spiritual well-being.
What’s Next?
The insights from this town hall are shaping the next steps of the VIBE-BGBM project. The research team is now launching a national survey and focused group sessions to map out structural barriers and build health interventions that are Afrocentric and LGBTQ+ positive.
Black CAP will continue to create and host safe, community-centered spaces across the GTA for Black GBM to connect and advocate for the care they deserve.
We invite you to read the full report below. You’ll find the detailed analysis, the priorities set by the community, and the Art Gallery Portfolio showcasing the paintings created during the event.
