Oluwabukola Salami

Biography

Professor Salami’s research program seeks to address the health needs of Black and racialized populations in Canada. She has been involved in over 85 funded studies. She has lead research projects on African immigrant child health, access to healthcare for immigrant children, Black youth mental health, health of internally displaced children, culturally appropriate practices to research with Black Canadians, and parenting practices of African immigrants. She founded and leads an African Child and Youth Migration Network, a network of 42 scholars from 4 continents.

In 2020, she founded the Black Youth Mentorship and Leadership Program. The program, the first University based interdisciplinary mentorship program for Black youths in Canada, seeks to socially and economically empower Black high school youths to contribute meaningfully to the Canadian society. Her work on Black youth mental health informed the creation of the first mental health clinic for Black Canadians in Western Canada (which was founded by Africa Center and the Alberta Black Therapist Network). She has also presented her research to policy makers (including twice to the Prime Minister of Canada and once to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health). Her work has contributed to policy changes, including related to Black peoples wellbeing. In 2015/2016, she was a collaborating researcher at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. She has trained over 100 undergraduate and graduate students including around ten who are now assistant or associate professors.