Event Overview
In recognition of Black Mental Health Day (March 2, 2026) and Black Mental Health Week (March 1–7, 2026), Elevate UTM: Celebrating & Empowering Black Wellness is dedicated to raising awareness about the impact of anti-Black racism on the mental health of Black students, staff, faculty, and the broader community. This event will provide space for movement, discussion, and reflection while highlighting resources and strategies that support Black wellness at UTM.
Now in its second year, Elevate UTM is guided by the theme “The Power of Connections.” Grounded in legacy, rising in justice, and building bridges to belonging, this year’s programming centres collective care and joy as acts of resistance. Through shared movement, reflection, and dialogue, participants are invited to connect more deeply with themselves, one another, and the broader community in ways that affirm and celebrate Black wellbeing.
Elevate UTM is a collaboration between the Department of Recreation, Athletics & Wellness and Black at UTM, made possible through the generous financial support of the Black Opportunities Fund and Black at UTM.
Event Details
Elevate your mind, body, and soul as we celebrate Black Mental Health Day at UTM!
✨ The first 40 participants to register and attend will receive an exclusive Elevate UTM wellness kit!
📅 Monday, March 2, 2026
⏰ 11 AM – 2:30 PM
📍 RAWC Gym A/B
This event is open to all UTM students, staff, and faculty regardless of background, fitness level or experience!
Registration
Participants are welcome to attend any or all of the following sessions:
🕚 11 AM – 12 PM | Enhergy Step: A High-Energy Step Aerobics Class led by Club Enhergy
🕛 12 PM – 1 PM | Yoga Class: Activating Strength, Stability and Stamina across Physical, Emotional and Mental Experience led by Haze Schepmyer (Grow My GRIT)
🕐 1 PM – 2:30 PM | Visualizing Black Wellbeing: Design Your Own Tote Workshop co-led by Tote & Paint and the UTM Health & Counselling Centre
Full Schedule of Activities
ENHERGY STEP is an aerobic step class high-energy workout designed to get your heart pumping while you groove to an awesome playlist. It’s a fun, upbeat session that combines cardio, coordination, and the perfect beats to keep you motivated! This class is beginner friendly- all are welcomed!
Workshop level: Beginner-Intermediate
Facilitators: Ottillia Giralico, Mansarée Kamara, and Eva Amo-Mensah (Enhergy Step)
Ottillia Giralico | Ottillia is a fitness enthusiast, fitness coach, and owner of the Female-Only fitness facility, Club Enhergy. She attained her undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto for Sociology & Psychology, and her post-graduate degree in Human Resources at George Brown College. After experiencing both parents suffer from severe illnesses, Ottillia was compelled to take control of her own health at a very young age. She became passionate about being consistent in the gym, and eating clean. After the loss of her mother in 2018, she decided to leave the corporate world to purse her passion for fitness. She started taking clients as a personal trainer in 2018, and in 2020 she created a fitness brand for women called “ENHERGY”. ENHERGY began as an e-commerce business which sold fitness bands, apparel, water bottles and more! After a successful first year in business, Ottillia was motivated by her partner to open up her own space. “CLUB ENHERGY” was born in the midst of COVID, and was officially ready to open for business as of January 2021. However, due to COVID restrictions the space was unable to officially open until months later, August 2021. Currently, Ottillia finds pleasure in operating CLUB ENHERGY as a one-of-a-kind fitness facility, while continuing to build a community of strong and empowered women along the way. |
Mansarée Kamara | Mansarée is a Certified Personal Trainer, a mom of three and a former volleyball coach. She started her personal training career in 2017 training women and men. She has recently shifted her studies towards becoming a corrective exercise specialist. With her knowledge in fascia, mobility and assessments she always trains to educate and guide clients through pain free workouts. To Mansarée fitness isn’t about being skinny or curvy, it’s about being the best version of yourself! |
Eva Amo-Mensah | Eva, also knows as Fit-For-Eva is a certified personal trainer and specializes in strength and conditioning style training. She founded the Fit-For-Eva in 2017 as the perfect brand to express her love of fitness, health and passion for helping others. Her goal and main focus is to help others become strong not only physically but also mentally, all while helping each client to become confident and comfortable within their bodies! She has been a personal trainer for about 5 years. Growing up Eva played all types of sports but succeeded the most in track and field as a sprinter which earned her a scholarship in the U.S to complete her degree in social work. If your ready to train like a beast and look like a beauty, join Eva now and allow her to take you through your fitness journey today! |
During this 60-minute yoga flow for all levels, Haze Schepmyer will highlight a range of physical, emotional and mental tools that can help with generating strength, stability and stamina in challenging transitions. Teaching yoga is one of the ways she invites individuals to pay attention to how they approach transitions in one environment and get curious about where else in their lives those habits could be showing up. Developing the proactive practice of noticing reactive responses in exercise routines may gradually support an ability to identify and interrupt them when navigating change across personal or professional transitions.
Workshop Level: This is an all-levels class that will include options for modifying selected poses by using a chair and leveling-up various poses.
Facilitator: Haze Schepmyer (Grow My GRIT)
Haze Schepmyer | Haze Schepmyer is a Life-Event Transitions Mediator, dedicated to activating FlowXible approaches across physical, emotional and mental experiences. With an authentic blend of compassion and expertise, Haze helps to guide accountable individuals through some of life's most challenging transitions by empowering them to navigate change with grace and resilience. Through her process of one-with-one meetings rooted in two-way conversations, Haze is able to help individuals move from feeling overwhelmed to gaining control and greater ease, ultimately rallying them to feel a greater preparedness for whatever life events may come their way. Her approach is rooted in the belief that every experience, whether happy, healing, or hard, offers valuable insights for personal growth. She was UTM’s Valedictorian in 2000. |
Visualizing Black Wellbeing: Design Your Own Tote Workshop invites participants into a Black-affirming creative space to explore mental health, belonging, and the power of connection through guided conversation and art. Co-led by Tote & Paint and the UTM Health & Counselling Centre, participants will design a custom tote inspired by reflections on Black wellbeing. The session concludes with a brief showcase to celebrate creativity, shared learning, and community.
This opening reflection invites participants to slow down, ground through land, and reconnect with collective ways of noticing and meaning-making. Through symbolic awareness and shared presence, it opens space for intentional and creative expression.
Workshop Level: This is an all-levels workshop.
Facilitators: Yéléna (Tote and Paint) and Njeri Ntwiga, RP, RN (HCC Mental Health Care Coordinator)
| Yéléna began her artistic journey at the age of seven with drawing lessons, though life eventually led her in different directions. During the COVID pandemic, she rediscovered the therapeutic power of painting and returned to her artistic roots. Inspired by this renewed passion, she launched Tote & Paint, an initiative dedicated to making art accessible to everyone. Through this venture, Yéléna invites people to experience the healing, connection, and joy that art can bring. |
| Njeri Ntwiga (Mental Health Care Coordinator at HCC, RP, RN) is a mental health clinician grounded in collective care and trauma-informed practice, supporting wellbeing through relational approaches and diverse ways of knowing. |