Truelove Twumasi Afriye, Co-Chair

Truelove Twumasi Afriyie (she/her). Truelove holds a master's degree in public health and works as a wellbeing specialist. Her interest in health promotion and mental health & wellbeing was established working with diverse populations in Canada and internationally. Truelove is passionate about community engagement, interdisciplinary knowledge exchange and supporting initiatives that lead to positive, sustainable change. Developing strong relationships is the foundation of everything she does professionally and personally.

Allison Dunne, Co-Chair

Allison Dunne (she/her) is a Black and Arab Queer woman living on the stolen lands of our host nations, the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples. Allison is the founder of Pink Flamingo, which is a Black-led advocacy organization that uplifts the QTBIPOC community in our city by creating events, workshops, educational content and safer spaces through an activist lens. Allison has been recognized for her anti-racism trainings, community partnerships, accessibility research, event production and disrupting oppressive systems. She is the recipient of 2022’s Top 40 under 40 award and frequently contributes to equity, diversity and inclusion advocacy through panel discussions, facilitations, board positions and research projects.Born and raised on Treaty 7, she has first-hand experiences on how systemic racism shows up in a variety of institutions in a conservative city. She moved to Vancouver and joined Vancouver Pride Society as co-Executive Director connecting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and stakeholders, executing large-scale events and building resources. Allison is an active community advocate as a DEIA advisor and event producer focusing on initiatives in healthcare and technology.

Akeena Legall, Secretary

Akeena is a brand and communications consultant and moved to the Coast Salish territories from Trinidad in 2013. She has dedicated her life to community engagement and honing the art of communication in order to create authentic pathways for connection. Her work has encompassed various fields, including planetary good, technology, government communications, mental health wellness and outreach for food and housing programs. Her previous roles include working with the Mayor’s Office in Vancouver to manage public affairs and political communications as a renowned press secretary in addition to being a frontline worker for programs that sought to support individuals experiencing homelessness, substance use disorders, and mental health diagnoses. She has also delved into the budding Vancouver arts scene, having been involved in the Vancouver Short Film Festival and co-chair of the Business for the Arts Vancouver chapter.

The mission of VBT&AF is one that lies close to Akeena’s heart. She believes in mental health being a visionary mandate of VBT&AF in ensuring members of Vancouver’s Black community receive accessible, compassionate, person-focused care and advocacy services. As a member of the VBT&AF board, Akeena brings an astute understanding of the Black lived experience as her range of roles has provided her with the knowledge of community building through empathetic communication. She is passionate about serving the Vancouver Black community and finds the VBT&AF team to be an incredible organization to work with. She is inspired to continue collaborating with the team on new ideas for alleviating the current inequalities that exist within the mental health sphere.

Alex Chen, Treasurer

Alexandra Chen (she/they) has been a central, grounding force within the Vancouver community for over a decade. Originally born in France, she relocated to Vancouver in 2012 and has since embedded herself through . Her current role as a Business Analyst at the UBC Faculty of Medicine has also informed her interest in the realm of healthcare. In addition to her current work, she has also become a pillar of the Vancouver electronic music community as she’s worn many hats. From organizing and facilitating ambitious events to hosting artists and working with other creative partners to produce events that amplify underrepresented voices in the industry, Alex has built an affinity for connecting with a wide range of individuals through her helpful spirit. Some of Alex's past experience within the arts and music industry include roles as a Board Director at New Forms Media Society; co-producer at CURRENT: Feminist Electronic Art Symposium; booking agent at Discwoman; as well as consulting for Gays Hate Techno and Verboden Festival.

As a queer person of Asian descent, Alex works with VBT&AF as an ally and brings both her professional experience and her own perspective on community work. She has been dedicated to creating a culture of openness when communicating about mental health issues and believes in the immense healing power of therapy as a means of building self awareness and improving one’s quality of life. Being a part of the VBT&AF board has been an enriching experience for Alex as she’s been inspired by the organization’s growth from its grassroots beginnings to its current, fully evolved form. Alex’s passion for destigmatizing conversations about mental health and serving underrepresented communities has fueled her work with the board of VBT&AF.