Meet Remi Bolarinwa, site administrator, St. Therese Villa

February 1, 2024

By Gwendoline Hunka, communications advisor

Our people

Editor’s note: Remi’s story is the first in a series of five staff profiles we are publishing for Black History Month (read more stories from Emile, Chris, Allison and Ashlee). Watch for another profile next week.

As the site administrator for St. Therese Villa, a Covenant Health facility in Lethbridge, Aderemi (Remi) Bolarinwa always tries to lead by example, especially when it comes to diversity and inclusion.

In addition to his daily work at the site, Remi is one of the core members of Covenant Health’s Black Advisory Body. The advisory body provides resources and guidance to the organization on how it can better serve the Black community and become more antiracist.

“My goal is to be able to show people that if we can leverage different skill sets, recognize different skin colours, different ways of speaking, we can have a very dynamic society,” says Remi.

One of the advisory body’s main initiatives every year is organizing activities for Black History Month at Covenant Health. Observing the month throughout the organization is important for learning and awareness, says Remi.

“The recognition of Black History Month and achievements of Black people within Covenant Health and the community matters because it’s showcasing the richness of the Black experience personally and professionally. I’m grateful to the organization for celebrating it because, for me, it’s not just a month — it’s every day.”

That recognition and learning can help combat systemic inequalities that appear both in policies and everyday life, Remi says.

“The more we talk about it and challenge ourselves, the higher chance of it getting better, but there has to be a commitment. We have to give people who would normally be passed over a fair chance and address the systemic issues by formulating policies that are supportive of inclusion and diversity.”

Beyond the walls of St. Therese Villa, Remi is also a leader in the community. He has been instrumental in founding the Association of Nigerians in Lethbridge and mentoring Black teenagers and university students. And he was one of the first visible minorities to become a certified health executive through the Canadian College of Health Leaders.

Remi wants to inspire the next generation of Black youth and help them see the opportunities open to them by putting a spotlight on what Black people are accomplishing and how they are breaking the ceiling and breaking down stereotypes.

His own inspiration came from his mother and other family members. “Having been surrounded by teachers and healthcare professionals in both my immediate and extended family growing up, I realized that my passion leaned towards a career in health care. They are the people who inspired me with their compassion and eagerness to always want to help others.”

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In Yoruba:

Ẹ bá Remi Bolarinwa pàdé, alákòóso sáìtì

Gẹ́gẹ́ bí alákòóso sáìtì fún St. Therese Villa, ibi iṣẹ́ Covenant Health kan ní Lethbridge, gbogbo ìgbà ni Aderemi (Remi) Bolarinwa máa ngbìyànjú láti fi àpẹrẹ rere lélẹ̀, pàápàá tí ó bá di ọ̀rọ̀ ti onírúurú àti ìdarapọ̀.

Ní àfikún sí iṣẹ́ rẹ̀ ojoojúmọ́ ní sáìtì náà, Remi jẹ́ ọ̀kan lára àwọn kókó ọmọ ẹgbẹ́ Ìgbìmọ̀ Olùdámọ̀ràn Aláwọ̀ Dúdú Covenant Health. Ìgbìmọ̀ olùdámọ̀ràn náà máa npèsè àwọn ohun àmúlò àti ìtọ́ni fún àjọ yìí lórí bí ó ti lè túbọ̀ ṣiṣẹ́ sin àwùjọ Alàwọ̀ Dúdú kí ó sì da èyí tí ó lòdì sí ẹlẹ́yàmẹ̀yà.

“Á̀fojúsùn mi ni láti fi han àwọn ènìyàn pé tí a bá lè ṣe àmúlò oríṣiríṣi àwọn ìsọ̀rí ìmọ̀, tí a dá onírúurú àwọ̀ ara mọ̀, onírúurú ọ̀nà tí a ngbà sọ̀rọ̀, a lè ní àwùjọ kan tí ó ntẹ̀ síwájú gidi,” ni Remi wi.

Ọ̀kan lára àwọn ọgbọ́n àtinúdá ìgbìmọ̀ olùdámọ̀ràn náà ní ọdọọdún ni ṣíṣètò àwọn iṣẹ́ ṣíṣe fún Oṣù Ìtàn Aláwọ̀ Dúdú ní Covenant Health. Sísàmì sí oṣù náà jáké̀jádò gbogbo àjọ náà ṣe pàtàkì fún ìkẹ́kọ̀ọ́ àti ìmọ̀lára, ni Remi wi.

“Dídá Oṣù Ìtàn Aláwọ̀ Dúdú àti àwọn àṣeyọrí àwọn ènìyàn Aláwọ̀ Dúdú mọ̀ láarín Covenant Health àti àwùjọ ṣe pàtàkì nítorí pé ó nṣe àfihàn bí ìrírí Aláwọ̀ Dúdú ti lọ́rọ̀ tó ní ti ara ẹni àti ní ti akọ́ṣẹ́mọṣẹ́. Mo mọ rírì àjọ náà fún ṣíṣe àjọyọ̀ rẹ̀ nítorí pé, ní tèmi, kìí kàn íṣe oṣù kan lásán ---- ojoojúmọ́ ni.”

Ìdámọ̀ àti ìkẹ́kọ̀ọ́ náà lè ṣe ìrànlọ́wọ́ láti dojúkọ àìdọ́gba tí ó ti jinlẹ̀ tí ó máa nfi ara hàn nínú àwọn ìlànà àti ìgbé-ayé ojoojúmọ́, ni Remi wi.

“Bí a bá ti túbọ̀ nsọ̀rọ̀ nípa rẹ̀ tí a sì npe ara wa níjà, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni yóò túbọ̀ ṣeéṣe láti jẹ́ kí ó dára síi, ṣùgbọ́n ìfarajì ní láti wà. A ní láti fún àwọn ènìyàn tí a sábà máa nfi ojú rénà ní ààyè tí ó tọ́ kí a sì bójútó àwọn ìṣòro tí ó jinlẹ̀ náà nípa ṣíṣe àgbékalẹ̀ àwọn ìlànà tí ó nṣe àtìlẹ́yìn fún ìdarapọ̀ àti jíjẹ́ onírúurù.”

Ní òde St. Therese Villa, Remi tún jẹ́ olórí kan ni àwùjọ. Ó ti ṣe okùnfà dídá Ẹgbẹ́ Àwọn Ọmọ Ilẹ̀ Nigeria sílẹ̀ ní Lethbridge ó sì nṣe ìtọ́ni fún àwọn ọ̀dọ́langba àti àwọn akẹ́kọ̀ọ́ yunifasitiị tí wọ́n jẹ́ Aláwọ̀ Dúdú. Ó sì jẹ́ ọ̀kan lára àwọn tí ojú ọ́kọ́ sọ lára àwọn tí kò pọ̀ tí yóò da aláṣe ìlera tí ó ní ìwé ẹ̀rí nípasẹ̀ àwọn Olórí Canadian College of Health.

Remi fẹ́ ṣí ìràn àwọn ọ̀dọ́ Aláwọ̀ Dúdú ọjọ́ iwájú níyè kí ó sì ràn wọ́n lọ́wọ́ láti rí àwọn ànfààní tí ó ṣí sílẹ̀ fún wọn nípa títan ìmọ́lẹ̀ sí ohun tí àwọn ènìyàn Aláwọ̀ Dúdú ngbéṣe àti bí wọ́n ti nfa ògiri ìdènà ya tí wọ́n sì npa ẹnu ẹ̀gàn mọ́.

Ìṣíníyè tirẹ̀ wá láti ọ̀dọ̀ ìyà rẹ̀ àti àwọn mọ̀lẹ́bí míràn. “Níwọ̀n bí àwọn olùkọ́ àti àwọn akọ́ṣẹ́mọṣẹ́ ìlera ti yí mi ka nínú ìdílé mi tí ó súnmọ́ mi àti èyí tí ó jìnnà nígbà tí mo ndàgbà sókè, mo dá a mọ̀ pé ìtara mi fì sí iṣẹ́ àṣelà nínú ìtọ́jú ìlera. Àwọn ni wọ́n ṣí mi níyè pẹ̀lú ìkáanú àti ìfojúsọ́nà wọn láti fẹ́ ran àwọn ẹlòmíràn lọ́wọ́ nígbà gbogbo.”

Meet Remi Bolarinwa, site administrator, St. Therese Villa

Find your fit at Covenant Health

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