On February 25th, 2025, we hosted an inspiring and thought-provoking keynote by Yamikani Msosa, Executive Director of the Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women, exploring what it truly means to support Black survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) through nuanced, transformative approaches.
In this keynote, Yamikani discussed how mainstream GBV responses often fail to address the systemic erasure of Black survivors and why liberation-focused practices are essential to healing and justice. Drawing from their leadership in the We Are Rooted Black Hair Care Drive, Yamikani unpacked how this initiative transcends the politics of hair and becomes a pathway to addressing broader issues of anti-Black racism, systemic barriers, and the need for intersectional approaches to survivor support.
This conversation challenged existing practices while offering bold, community-centered strategies to reimagine GBV work through a lens of Blackness, care, and liberation.
Surrey Women’s Centre stands with Black survivors of gender-based violence. We join WomenatthecentrE – a Black survivor-led grassroots agency – to build a national equity strategy that fights anti-Black gender-based violence.
Black people are often at the forefront of social justice movements. But the contributions of Black women, girls, and trans folks are often ignored, erased or rendered invisible. Meet just a few of the Black activists in Surrey fighting to address anti-Black racism AND gender-based violence.
Our services are accessed by anyone who has experienced sexual assault or gender-based violence. Our support services extend to family members and witnesses as long as they are not part of the offending party.
