—
For Eva Lumley, the month of February will forever evoke the sites and smells of her grandmother’s kitchen in the coastal town of Savanna la Mar, Jamaica.
Every year, her grandmother would scour the house, visit the butchers and start cooking—serving dish after dish piled high with local ingredients, from tropical fruit to fresh-caught fish.
“She would do this for a whole week. And the whole community would know when she was doing it,” says Eva, a personal support worker in Bellwoods’ Attendant Outreach program. “You could come in and eat anything you wanted. And people who couldn’t come, she would send food for them.”
For Eva’s grandmother, celebrating Black history was about caring for her community. In fact, sharing food and resources was built into the culture of Eva’s entire family. She, along with her mother, father and nine siblings, lived on one large property with dozens of extended family members. Every evening, they would gather under the shade of a towering tamarind tree to share dinner at a banquet table handcrafted by her grandfather.
Growing up in this communal environment, Eva felt drawn to work in a profession where she could connect with and take care of people.
Now, as a personal support worker with Bellwoods’ Attendant Outreach program, Eva supports individuals with disabilities to remain independent. She visits clients’ homes to help with physical care and light housework, enabling them to continue living in their communities. Next year, Eva will celebrate 20 years at Bellwoods.
Nearly two decades in, Eva says her favourite part of the job is still the relational aspect. “I like working with people.”
Outside of work, Eva travels regularly to her family property in Savanna la Mar, where she visits with loved ones, swims in the ocean and shares traditional meals with family.
Back in Toronto, Eva finds small ways to stay connected to home. At the grocery store, she stocks up on avocados, oranges and tangerines. She hosts relatives who have also immigrated to Canada. And, while miles away from her grandmother’s kitchen, she recreates the aromas of her childhood by cooking ackee and saltfish, Jamaica’s national dish.
Ultimately, for Eva, celebrating Black history means remembering her personal history, and using her energy to care for others. “It is very important to know my roots,” she says.
This story is part of Black History Month at Bellwoods, where we are recognizing
the contributions and experiences of our Black community members.