Vanessa Dorimain

Who is Vanessa Dorimain?

Vanessa Dorimain is a woman of many titles. She is a mother, an advocate, and an organizer. Vanessa is known as one of the founders of the Ottawa Black Diaspora Coalition and the Melanin Project. She has a strong passion for advocacy, which she says comes from her Haitian roots and her parents' teachings. Her parents taught her to critically analyze situations and think for herself. Vanessa describes herself as someone who is always striving to make the world a better place and is passionate about black liberation and empowerment. However, she recently decided to take a step back from her projects to focus on self-care and healing.

Her work 

The Ottawa Black Diaspora Coalition was created when Vanessa and her friends were discussing the killing of Abdirahman Abdi, a Somali-Canadian man with mental health issues who was killed by an Ottawa police officer. They reached out to Abdi's family to offer support, but the family was hesitant to take a radical approach that might affect the trial. Vanessa and her friends decided to take a radical stand that did not represent the family directly. The Ottawa Black Diaspora Coalition shed light on the injustice of the criminal justice system in Ottawa and how it was hurting the black community. The name Ottawa Black Diaspora Coalition was chosen because it represents every black community. As the project grew, more people began to reach out to them, and the coalition expanded.

To manage the workload, OBDC began recruiting volunteers. They reached out to organizations that had volunteer setups and did call-outs on their social media platforms. They now have a team that handles day-to-day tasks such as graphic designing, research, writing, and policy analysis. They also have volunteers who help with actions, events, police liaison, and blockers.

However, doing activism in Ottawa had its challenges. The Ottawa community had difficulty understanding the movement, thinking the actions that OBDC was taking were "too radical." Some citizens did not believe there was racism in Ottawa, which made it difficult for the organization to gain support from city counselors, the mayor, and the police forces. However, with the persuasive support from the black community in Ottawa, OBDC was able to grow and bring awareness to the city.

The Melanin Project was started during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Vanessa and her friend Kafia wanted to do something positive while being stuck at home. They decided to tell positive stories of black people who were thriving. Vanessa, being a writer, and Kafia, being a photographer, combined their creativity and started the project. The project gained attention and expanded quickly, with many people wanting to represent their own stories. Different media outlets even collaborated with the project.

Vanessa took a step back from her projects for her mental health. She hopes that her projects will still have strong advocacy for anti-black issues and encourage black empowerment in the city. Vanessa enjoys how both of her projects amplify black voices and promote different businesses, organizations, and associations, and she has faith that they will continue to do so. Even on her hiatus, Vanessa has many more projects in mind and hopes to start some sometime this year.

Vanessa has three pieces of advice for anyone wanting to start similar projects. Firstly, plan out as best as possible from the beginning and plan for success. Secondly, these types of projects should be community-based. Lastly, create a schedule of rest for your mental health. These types of projects can be heavy for the mind and soul, so breaks are needed and should be taken seriously.

The importance of her work 

Vanessa Dorimain's work is important because she is a dedicated advocate and organizer who is committed to fighting for the rights of the black community in Ottawa. Through her involvement in the Ottawa Black Diaspora Coalition (OBDC) and the Melanin Project, she has brought attention to issues of systemic racism and social injustice that affect black people in Ottawa and beyond. Her work has shed light on the ways in which the criminal justice system and other institutions in Ottawa are failing the black community, and has helped to mobilize people to take action to address these issues.

In addition to her advocacy work, Vanessa's projects have also helped to promote positive stories of black people who are thriving in their communities. By amplifying black voices and promoting black businesses and organizations, she is helping to create a more inclusive and supportive community for black people in Ottawa.

Overall,  she is a powerful voice for the black community, and her projects are helping to create positive change in Ottawa and beyond. Her commitment to advocacy and her dedication to amplifying black voices make her an inspiration to others who are working to create a more just and equitable world

Written by Sallysha Vital