E82: Rehana Malik-Mbanga is building a safe space for the Black woman

To celebrate #IWD2025, The Newcomers Podcast will be publishing daily episodes between March 2nd - 8th celebrating a female immigrant. Come celebrate with us as we tell the stories of some of the many amazing immigrant heroines.

Join us as we explore the bitter-sweet world of the immigrant.

For our seventh and final #IWD2025 episode, I'm speaking with Rehana Malik-Mbanga, CEO, Stimbok Corporation, and Founder, When African Women Talk (WAWT).

As immigrants, we often tiptoe around the emotional and psychological toll immigration places on us. As Rehana puts it, “You are under immense pressure to achieve. You didn't come here to fail.”

Aside that, you are also expected to constantly represent your community in good light. And so we end up always in defense mode, always looking to swat away stereotypes and show that we are capable of being good, of being smart, of being worthy of recognition.

It’s exhausting.

To combat this and create a safe space where Black women can be themselves, Rehana founded WAWT.

In this conversation, Rehana and I chat about What it was like to move to Edmonton, Alberta 10+ years ago. We also explore:

* The idea of our “immigration age”

* The importance of rejecting victimhood narratives

* Creating genuine relationships through intentional community-building

* Launching WAWT and how her mission for the community changed along the way

* The diverse experiences of Black immigrants in Canada, and more great stuff.

Official Links

👋🏽 Connect with Rehana on LinkedIn

👉🏽 Apply to join WAWT

📰 Read the current issue of the WAWT magazine

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewcomerspod.com