Coalition for Change – TOES Niagara

COALITION FOR CHANGE NIAGARA

Championing Social Justice and Addressing Disparities

The Coalition for Change Niagara is a coalition of community members and organizations from various sectors, including social services, healthcare, education, charities, and public service. Our primary objective is to establish a platform for individuals and organizations to share experiences, good practices, knowledge, and expertise to improve policies and programs aimed at combating all forms of discrimination, racism, and intolerance.

The Mission:

The coalition leverages the expertise and resources of its partners to strategically deliver initiatives supporting education, advocacy, research, and institutional change. We promote inclusion and diversity, fostering human rights values, racial and gender equality, mutual understanding, and social cohesion.

Focus Areas:

Supporting communities facing significant disparities in access to educational, social, economic, and political opportunities, particularly Black women & youth, persons living with HIV/AIDS, migrants, refugees, Indigenous people, and persons living with disabilities. Advocating for investments in critical programs that address the root causes of racism and discrimination. Addressing systemic racism and discrimination within our schools by advocating for schools to adopt a zero-discrimination policy, creating a safe environment where every child, especially racialized children, are properly educated and supported.

Strategies:

Partnering and collaborating with school boards to provide assistance with Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression (ARAO) training, curriculum development, and resources that educate teachers, parents, and students on anti-black racism, equity, and inclusion. Drafting an action plan covering education, health, housing, employment, and cultural activities. This includes practical policies, training, and programs for relevant authorities to enhance or develop with objectives of inclusion and non-discrimination, defending the rights of all minorities.

Leadership:

The Coalition for Change is co-chaired by Dr. Pamela Kapend and Dr. Natalie Apparicio-Farrell.

Dr. Pamela Kapend

Dr. Pamela Kapend is a graduate of the McMaster Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine. Having specialized in Family and Emergency Medicine, she currently practices as an Emergency Physician within the Niagara Health System. She is also an Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster School of Medicine. Her interests include health promotion and disease prevention in vulnerable populations and advocacy. She is actively involved in a number of community initiatives such as the Migrant and foreign workers’ clinic and REACH Niagara which provides care for the homeless population. Her desire to see radical change in the education system regarding discrimination and anti-racism led to the creation of Coalition for Change.

Dr. Kapend is a mother of two boys, a wife and an avid cyclist who enjoys spending time with family and friends around food and good conversations.

Dr. Natalie Apparicio

Dr. Natalie Apparicio-Farrell is an Investment Advisor at RBC Dominion Securities. She leverages her expertise as a physician and former business owner along with the vast resources at her disposal to provide transparent, comprehensive wealth management solutions for healthcare professionals and women business owners in Niagara area. Dr. Apparicio-Farrell obtained her medical degree in 2005 at the University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago, and has over eight years’ experience in the healthcare industry. As a firm believer in continuing education, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA), with an additional focus on healthcare administration. She remains connected to healthcare by participating in medical mission trips to provide care for underserved communities in developing countries. She also provides free financial literacy programs to the black community to enable sound financial decision making and effective management of personal finance which helps to improve the well-being of the black community. She is a wife and mother of three wonderful kids. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, reading and outdoor fun with her family.