Chika Stacy Oriuwa facts for kids

Chika Stacy Oriuwa is a Canadian doctor, spoken word artist, and a strong voice against unfair treatment (racism) in healthcare. In 2021, she was honored by the Barbie company, which made a doll that looks like her! This was to celebrate her work as a frontline hero. In 2020, Chika made history by becoming the first Black woman to be the only valedictorian at the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine.

Early Life and School

Chika Oriuwa was born in Ontario, Canada. Her parents, Stephen and Catherine Oriuwa, moved to Canada from Nigeria in the 1980s. Chika went to St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School in Brampton, Ontario. She was the valedictorian there in 2011.

After high school, Chika graduated from McMaster University with a bachelor's degree in Health Sciences. Then, she took a year off to focus on her poetry. She joined a group called Hamilton Youth Poets and competed in national poetry contests twice.

In 2016, Chika started studying medicine at the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine. She also worked on her Master of Science degree at the same time. She was the only Black student in her medical class.

On June 2, 2020, Chika Oriuwa graduated from the University of Toronto as valedictorian. She was the first Black woman to be the only valedictorian at the University of Toronto. She was also the second Black female valedictorian overall. Her graduation speech was given online because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking Up for Change

In 2017, the University of Toronto started a special program. It's called the Black Student Application Program (BSAP). This program helps Black students apply to medical school. Chika Oriuwa became a leader and public face for this program.

The BSAP has an optional application process. It has the same high standards as other applications. But it includes interviews with members of the Black community, teachers, and students. By 2020, thanks to this program, 24 Black students joined the incoming class.

While in medical school, Chika also helped start the Black Interprofessional Students' Association (BIPSA). This group helps Black students in different graduate programs connect with each other. She also gave advice and wrote articles for Healthy Debate. This is a website about healthcare news.

In 2018, Chika gave a main speech at Women's College Hospital. It was for International Women's Day. Her speech was called "Thriving at the Intersections: Being a Black Woman in Medicine." She also spoke at a conference about women and children's health at McMaster University. In 2019, she led a workshop at a conference for doctor leaders in Canada.

Chika uses poetry to share her feelings about racism. She also uses it to speak out against unfair treatment. In her second year of medical school, she made a spoken word video. It was titled "Woman, Black."

Her Work

Chika Oriuwa is now a doctor specializing in psychiatry at the University of Toronto. Psychiatry is a field of medicine that helps people with their mental health.

Chika is also a co-director of a group called Uflow. This is a non-profit group that helps young people become leaders. She also helped guide the Ontario Black Youth Action Plan. This plan works to improve the lives of Black youth in Ontario.

Awards and Honors

• 2018 African Scholars Emerging Academic Award - University of Toronto
• 2020 Valedictorian of the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine
• 2021 Barbie Role Model Program honoree