Chika Stacy Oriuwa

Chika Stacy Oriuwa is a Canadian physician, spoken word artist, and advocate against systemic racism in health care.[1] In 2021, she was one of six frontline workers honored by the Barbie Role Model Program with a doll created in her likeness.[2] In 2020, Oriuwa was the first black woman to become the sole valedictorian at the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine.[3]

Chika Stacy Oriuwa
Born
Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian
Alma materUniversity of Toronto Faculty of Medicine
Known forAdvocacy against systemic racism
Scientific career
FieldsPsychiatric medicine

Early life and education

Oriuwa was born in Ontario, Canada. She is the daughter of Stephen and Catherine Oriuwa, who emigrated from Nigeria to Canada in the 1980s.[4][5] She attended St Thomas Aquinas Secondary School in Brampton, Ontario, where she became valedictorian in 2011.[3]

Oriuwa graduated from McMaster University with a bachelor's degree in Health Sciences and then took a gap year to focus on poetry.[6] She was signed to the Hamilton Youth Poets slam poetry label and twice competed in national competitions.[6] In 2016, Oriuwa began a combined medical degree and Master of Science at the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine, where she was the only Black student in her class.[7][3]

On 2 June 2020, Oriuwa graduated from the University of Toronto as valedictorian.[8][9] She was the first solo black female valedictorian at University of Toronto, the second overall black female valedictorian, and the first woman in 14 years.[8] Her valedictory address was presented online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8]

Advocacy

In 2017, the University of Toronto created the Black Student Application Program (BSAP), an optional application process that requires the same standards and includes an interview process conducted by members of the Black community, faculty, and students,[10] and Oriuwa became an ambassador and public face of the program.[3] As of 2020, the incoming class of 2024 has 24 black students.[8][11]

During medical school, Oriuwa co-founded the Black Interprofessional Students' Association (BIPSA) to network students across graduate programs.[12] She also served as a strategic advisor and contributing writer to Healthy Debate, a healthcare journalism platform.[13]

In 2018, she delivered the keynote speech at Women's College Hospital for International Women's Day,[14] titled "Thriving at the Intersections: Being a Black Woman in Medicine,"[15] and was a speaker at the 2018 International Women and Children's Health Conference at McMaster University. In 2019, she was a workshop speaker at the Canadian Conference on Physician Leadership.[16] She has said she uses poetry both as an outlet for her struggles with encountering racism and as a form of advocacy against it, and during her second year of medical school, created a spoken word video titled, "Woman, Black."[4]

Career

Oriuwa is a psychiatry resident at University of Toronto.[17]

Oriuwa is also the co-director of a non-profit youth leadership organization called Uflow, and was on the External Implementation Steering Committee to the Minister of Children and Youth Services, focused on shaping the Ontario Black Youth Action Plan.[18]

Awards and honors
  • 2018 African Scholars Emerging Academic Award - University of Toronto[19]
  • 2020 Valedictorian of the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine
  • 2021 Barbie Role Model Program honoree

References
  1. Tillman, Rachel (August 4, 2021). "Mattel honors 6 frontline workers with personalized Barbie replicas". NY1. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  2. Bianchini, Elisabetta (August 4, 2021). "Black Canadian Barbie: Toronto doctor makes history with classic doll in her likeness amid COVID-19 pandemic". Yahoo News. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  3. James, Royson (June 5, 2020). "The only Black medical student in a U of T class of 259, Chika Oriuwa graduates as valedictorian". Toronto Star (Opinion). Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  4. "U of T Faculty of Medicine first Black female valedictorian is a poet and activist". Ron Fanfair. May 28, 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  5. "Chika Oriuwa - a story of inspiration and determination". The Gleaner. June 7, 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  6. Herrold, Charlotte (September 30, 2018). "Chika Stacy Oriuwa, Med School Student & Slam Poet". Flare. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  7. Parkhill, Maggie (June 12, 2020). "U of T valedictorian hopes to inspire future Black doctors". CTV News. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  8. Ricci, Talia (June 2, 2020). "Chika Oriuwa named valedictorian of U of T's faculty of medicine". CBC. Archived from the original on 2020-06-02. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  9. Katawazi, Miriam (June 15, 2020). "In her own words: Chika Oriuwa graduates as valedictorian at U of T's faculty of medicine". CTV News. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  10. Gordon, Andrea (March 9, 2017). "U of T aims to attract more black med students". Toronto Star. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  11. "24 Black medical students accepted to U of T Medicine — the most in Canadian history". Global News. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  12. "Building a Social Network for Black Graduate and Professional Students at U of T". StartUp HERE Toronto. 2017-10-30. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  13. "About Us". Healthy Debate. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  14. Soudat, Julia (April 22, 2020). "Chika Oriuwa: UofTMed's Class of 2T0 Valedictorian, Poet, Writer, Activist". Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Dean's Office. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  15. "IWD 2018 - Keynote Presentation: Chika Stacy Oriuwa". Women's College Hospital. YouTube. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  16. "Workshop Speakers Saturday, April 27 — Day 2". Canadian Conference on Physician Leadership. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  17. Bresge, Adina (August 4, 2021). "Canadian doctor Chika Stacy Oriuwa among 'role models' celebrated in Barbie tribute". The Canadian Press. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  18. "Faces of U of T Medicine: Women of 2T0 & 2T1". MD Program, Temerty Faculty of Medicine. March 8, 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  19. Levine, Romi (October 2, 2018). "U of T's African scholars, community leaders celebrated at awards ceremony". U of T News. University of Toronto. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
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