T.J. Jordan builds Brotherhood in northern Nova Scotia

T.J. Jordan didn’t just take on a new role - he returned to familiar ground, bringing his deep community roots to the Nova Scotia Brotherhood’s Northern Zone.  

“I live here in the community. I’ve got two children, so I’ve got a vested interest,” says T.J. “I want to make sure the community is strong and flourishing so that when they get to a point where they’re ready to spread their wings, they’re able to with all the supports in place.” 

Originally launched in Halifax, the Nova Scotia Brotherhood is a free health and wellness program for Black men. It connects primary health care, health education, chronic disease management and culturally responsive support to men of African descent. The program focuses on issues disproportionately affecting Black men, including diabetes, high blood pressure, prostate cancer, mental health and navigating the health system. With its expansion to the Northern Zone, the Brotherhood aims to bring these same supports to rural communities across the province. 

T.J.’s first community engagement session was held in Truro in late May and included representatives from the Health Association of African Canadians and Halifax Brotherhood team. 

“We brought people out and had some food,” he says. “We talked about how the Brotherhood initiative got started and I introduced myself to community members. I handed out a short questionnaire to help build the foundation for how I’ll move forward. I just wanted to get a sense of what people see as their top priorities when it comes to healthcare services.” 

Twenty-three people attended. “I was pretty impressed,” T.J. says. “The people showed up - for themselves, but also in support of me. It felt really good.” 

That first session is just the beginning. “I want to move forward with the community, not ahead of them. Step by step, hand in hand.” 

One idea he's hoping to adapt for northern Nova Scotia is the Brotherhood’s Barbershop Talk, a health promotion model first developed in Central Zone. “There was an individual from the Health Association of African Canadians who had gone to Chicago and saw an initiative there for Black men where they could come, get a haircut and access different medical services like physicians and psychologists,” T.J. says. “That idea was brought back to Nova Scotia and that’s what the Brotherhood mirrors.” 

In Central Zone, these sessions are held in community spaces where men come together, hear from guest speakers and talk about health-related topics in a comfortable and familiar environment. “It may not always be like a doctor’s appointment,” adds T.J., “but there’s always some sort of health-oriented or health-related topic at hand and individuals can come and get a haircut.” 

T.J. sees potential to bring something similar to the Northern Zone but wants to ensure it’s shaped by local context. “As much as we are all African Nova Scotian, our communities are slightly different as well,” he says. “I want to take my time and ask the communities how they want things to roll.” 

While it could take the form of a barbershop-style session, T.J.’s also thinking creatively. “Maybe it’s cards, or sports; I’m thinking of cool ways we can bring people together and open up that door to talk about health.” 

As programming develops, T.J. continues building relationships and partnerships to ensure services reflect what matters most to local Black men and their families. If you’d like to connect with T.J. or learn more about the Brotherhood’s work in the Northern Zone, you can reach him by email or phone: 

(902) 890-5301 
T.J.Jordan@nshealth.ca 

Stay tuned for updates as the Nova Scotia Brotherhood expands its work to support Black men’s health and wellness across the province. 

Photo of T.J. Jordan, community liaison for the Nova Scotia Brotherhood, is working to expand health and wellness supports for Black men in northern Nova Scotia.