Victoria

Victoria has been immersed in advocacy from a young age, driven by a deep commitment to equity, inclusion, and mental health accessibility. Growing up as a first-generation Canadian, she experienced firsthand the systemic barriers that impact racialized communities and young people. Her early experiences in predominantly white institutions shaped her passion for creating spaces where all voices—especially those from historically excluded communities—are heard and valued.

Victoria’s advocacy began in high school, where she pushed for recognition of Black History Month and other equity-focused initiatives, often facing bureaucratic resistance. Instead of backing down, she doubled down on her advocacy, organizing student-led initiatives and working to ensure that schools and institutions were held accountable. Her involvement in student advocacy and mental health spaces eventually led her to the Council for Community Mental Health, where she uses her lived experience to help shape mental health policies that are equitable, accessible, and community-driven.

Currently balancing university, work, and advocacy, Victoria remains dedicated to fostering systemic change. She believes in the power of young voices and continues to challenge spaces that fail to include them. With plans to pursue a law degree, she sees her future as one where she can use legal tools to dismantle systemic oppression and advocate for marginalized communities on a broader scale.

Q&A

What made you want to join the Council?

I’ve been involved in advocacy for a long time, starting in high school when I was one of only a few Black students in my graduating class. I saw how institutions failed to create space for people like me and realized I had to push for that change myself. When I was invited to join the Council for Community Mental Health, it felt like a natural continuation of the work I had already been doing—advocating for representation, accessibility, and policies that actually reflect the communities they serve.

What’s a challenge you’ve faced in advocacy work?

Bureaucracy. Honestly, one of the most frustrating things about this work is how slow everything moves, especially in nonprofit and government spaces. There’s so much passion and urgency in grassroots work, but once you step into bigger organizations, everything is approvals, paperwork, and waiting. I’ve learned to navigate it, but it still drives me up the wall.

What keeps you motivated?

The people. Every time I see someone feel genuinely heard and supported, it reminds me why I do this. A lot of advocacy work feels like fighting an uphill battle, but knowing that even one person’s experience can be improved because of the work we do makes it worth it.

What do you do outside of advocacy?

I love learning—philosophy, history, psychology, anything that helps me understand the world better. Writing is a huge part of my life. If I could, I’d just write full-time, but, you know, I also need to survive. That’s part of why I want to go into law—I want to take everything I’ve learned and use it to actually change the systems we’re working within.

Where do you see yourself in the future?

I want to be a lawyer, but not just any lawyer—I want to use the law to amplify voices that are usually ignored. I know that a degree gives me access to spaces where I can actually make decisions that impact real change, and I want to use that power to fight for people who don’t have access to those spaces. No matter where I end up, I know advocacy will always be part of my life.