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Author Bio

Dr. Lance T. McCready is an Associate Professor in the Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, and Director of the Transitional Year Programme at University of Toronto. His research and program development work explores education, health and the welfare of Black families, youth and adults in urban communities and schools. He is the Principal Investigator of the Exploratory Study of Black Gender-Expansive Youth and Black Youth Leaving Care studies and Co-Investigator of the African, Caribbean, Black Family Group Conferencing Project and Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP) Getakit study. He received the Ludwik & Estelle Jus Memorial Human Rights Prize (2017) and has been recognized as a Distinguished Research Scholar (2018) and for his Excellence in Educational Leadership (2025).

Nadia Junaid is a public health professional, policy analyst, and sexual health educator with over 20 years of experience in harm reduction, HIV/AIDS prevention, and sexual health promotion. Her work spans public health policy, frontline services, and advocacy, with a focus on trauma-informed and equity-based healthcare. As a Policy Analyst at PHAC, she contributed to national STBBI program evaluations. She previously led HIV/STI prevention and point-of-care testing initiatives as a Health Promoter and Sexual Health Counsellor. Nadia currently chairs the PHAC Racialized Employee Network, advancing anti-racism and DEI efforts within the federal public service. She is a committed advocate for health equity and holds certifications in Health Promotion, HIV Rapid Test Counseling, and Program Evaluation.

Abstract

This article examines the sociocultural and structural conditions that shape HIV vulnerability among newcomer Black gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) in Ontario, Canada. Based on qualitative data from focus groups with 22 newcomer Black GBM, the study explores how intersecting experiences of anti-Black racism, homophobia, trauma, and precarity during migration and resettlement impact access to sexual health education and care. Participants shared accounts of violence in their countries of origin, challenges navigating Canada’s housing and healthcare systems, and the ongoing mental health impacts of displacement and marginalization. Using a community-based participatory research framework, and in partnership with the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP), the article argues for a culturally responsive and rights-based approach to sexual health education—one that centres the lived realities of Black GBM newcomers. The findings underscore the urgency of trauma-informed, anti-racist, and inclusive services to support HIV prevention, mental health, and human rights for this underserved population.

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