Featured Canadians

Hi my name is Lacey Koughan and this is my #MyCanada story. I'm a 17 dancer and I'm from Charlottetown, PE. For my first semester of the 11th grade I decided to do something different with my education. I took a course called the "Independent Study" that my high school offers. Instead of taking 3 other courses, like most students do each semester, I took just one. I made the independent study my goal. I wanted to see how much I could learn outside of the classroom. So, from September - February out of school and into the world! It was incredible. I spent a month travelling through Europe with my mom. We explored throughIceland, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, and France. During this month I learned an unbelievable amount about myself and I was inspired in every place we visited. We were travelling throughout Europe during the heat of the refugee arrivals which gave my experience such a unique perspective. We saw the boarders closing, trains shutting down, and we were immersed in literally thousands and thousands of refugees. Experiencing this In person is a totally different thing than just watching a video or hearing about it on the radio. I had young refugee girls coming up to me pulling on my clothes with such strong eye contact. This made me feel incredibly sad. I couldn't eat, I didn't want to do anything and I was so shocked by the situation. I lost sleep, couldn't focus during the day and all I could think about is how can I help. After Europe, I spent time travelling through Ottawa, Toronto, and Oakville by myself. I LOVE TORONTO! I had an awesome time being independent and learning as I went along. But anytime I saw a homeless person, or heard anything about the refugees, I was back to that feeling I've never had before. I wanted to help. I didn't know how, but I knew that I had to do something about it because it was truly making me lose sleep. When I got back to PEI around Christmas, my family and I helped out with an organization on Christmas morning that delivers gifts and food to families in need (not necessarily refugee families). I felt so incredibly amazing while I was doing this and I knew I wanted to continue helping people! I began making up Christmas gift bags and cards that I gave to the homeless people in my town which included food, hats, mitts, etc. I also volunteered to perform and dance at a benefit for Syrian children, which made me so so so so so happy- it was an amazing night. My semester came to an end, and I had to do a final presentation to prove that I learned things outside of school. I decided to do my presentation at a brand new theatre in town which was pretty expensive..lnstead of charging people an entrance fee, I decided to take donations for refugee families coming to PEI! So everybody that came to my presentation made a donation! I'm currently in the process of seeing how the money would be most beneficial to newcomers in PEI. When I heard about your line with Norm Kelly supporting refugee youth in Toronto I was PUMPED. Literally screamed and told my mom I wanted to order stuff for my birthday to support the cause as much as I can! I am so proud to be Canadian- having companies like you, doing amazing things, supporting others - while In style! I just signed the registration to open my own business in Charlottetown at age 16! I'm opening a dance school called 24dancePEI. I am hoping to have 3 classes a week, hip-hop and musicals theatre. I decided to open the classes up to refugee children for free if they wish to join. Dance is a universal language that everyone can come together and have fun with. I am more than excited to get going with my new business and continuing to help out fellow brothers and sisters around world ! Your company is amazing, I can't wait to sport some new PC gear and know that I'm helping others at the same time! I am chasing my passions of working with kids, helping others, being active and combining them into one awesome job. To me, a passion is something you really can totally immerse yourself in and love every second of it. Something you love so much you want to share with others. Not caring what other people's opinions are, sticking to your heart and following through because you love it that much. Taking risks, making sacrifices so that you can be as happy as possible.

Hi my name is Amanda Yeung and this is #MyCanada story. I was born and raised in Mississauga but when I was younger my family and I would drive downtown to go to Chinatown to see a Chinese herbal doctor. We would always exit the QEW at Spadina and at the stop light there would always be homeless people asking for money or food. I was 8 years old when I first packed a juice box and a granola bar in my bag and when we arrived to that exit one day I asked my parents if I could give my juice box and granola to the man by rolling my window down. But my parents being parents said no - scared of what could happen, that was a tug in my heart for quite a few years.  Fast forward to high school I had the opportunity to do sandwich runs and fulfilling a dream of mine - to interact and talk to the homeless as another human being as you and I. No one wants to be homeless and society has that stigma that they want to be on the streets or hopeless. Life sometimes just goes wrong and we have absolutely no control over it. I also went on a volunteer trip three years ago to Peru and honestly - I learned a lot. We were helping build orphanages, working with and playing with children and meeting their parents - this was in a garbage dump community. Meaning their parents worked in the garbage dump while they stayed outside - a more recent regulation that had occurred. We went in the garbage dump and met the parents, it was really eye opening because being born in Canada we don't know where our garbage goes to. One little girl that I played with named Angie stuck with me throughout the day. She reminded and taught me to cherish the simple things in life, I don't need the most glamorous apparel or gadgets to be happy. To cherish friends and family. I've always loved working with children and it broke my heart when we were leaving when she asked me if I was coming back to visit on Saturday. With the help of my translator I told her I wasn't - it tore my heart to pieces. I still remember the emotions I felt on that day three years ago. For the first few months and the next year after I left I really wished I moved down to Trujillo, Peru to help - abandoning my safe bubble environment in Toronto. But, realistically in grade 11/12 I had to finish school. I hope to visit and support the organization I was working with once again. As another human being, I would like to be able to change - whether create little or big changes in the future - through the arts and design and collaborate with other creatives through fashion, graphic design, photography and other talents others may have to create a community - just like you do at Peace Collective.  Passion to me is chasing the ambitions whatever it may be that makes you breathe, what inspires you to wake up in the morning - with the mindset to achieve greater, for you to continuously strive to be better. It makes you - you. It may or may not be one passion it can be several depending on the individual, it can change over time as we are humans continuously evolving.  Doing things that I am enduringly in love with, even if it means to step out of my comfort zone - to be different. It may not be a straight forward, smooth like butter path but if I put my heart, soul and mind into it I would be one step closer to chasing my passion and letting go of self-doubt of not being good enough and taking a step and just give it a try. There is a possibility of achieving greater, and having a meaningful life.

Hi, my name is Jennifer Brake.  A family member passed away last year due to mental illness at the age of 18. I as well have suffered with mental illness since I was young. It comes and goes. The stigma is hard to deal with. When you tell someone you are tired, they ask if you went to bed late the night before. They're astounded when you tell them you slept for 10 hours, "how can you be tired?" they ask. When you tell someone you're stressed they make sure to tell you how "stressed" they are too. Unless you've suffered from mental illness you don't understand what "tired" or "stressed" can feel like.  I have generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and depressive episodes. Some days I find it hard to get up and get a glass of water, for fear I might drop the glass because I won't be able to hold onto it tight enough. Some days the thought of waking up and going to work seems like the hardest thing to do, not because I don't want to go, but because I feel like I don't know if I remember how to turn on the shower.  My hands are always shaking. I feel dizzy all the time, like the world is spinning. I fear not being in control. Sometimes the whole world makes me nervous, taking a sip of water during an office meeting, the sound of a car honking, people on the subway, walking through the mall, you name it, it makes me nervous. Simple, daily tasks make me anxious. Some days I have to remind myself and go over and over in my head that I know how to do something as simple as ordering my daily matcha green tea latte before heading into work. I know that I know how to do things like drive, walk, talk, breathe. But some days I forget, my mind goes blank and I have a mini anxiety ridden panic attack. It happens all the time, no one ever notices it because I've been hiding it for years. I'll run to the bathroom and look in the mirror, make sure I am able to swallow a few times, then walk back out like nothing happened.  I had been prescribed medication in the past, I had been told to talk to therapists in the past but I always declined and said I was fine. A few weeks ago I let my anxiety get so bad that it took over my mind. After a few days of feeling so down that I didn't think I knew how to walk anymore I knew something was wrong. I had one of the worst panic attacks of my life. I took an ambulance to the ER. I was in critical care with my best friend and my parents by my side. And I'm okay. I'm not ashamed of what happened, I don't want to hide something that is a part of me. I'm going to get better. Sometimes reaching the lowest of lows makes you realize that your health, not just your physical health, but your mental health is important.  That being said, people with a mental illness will be some of the most empathetic people you will ever meet. We know how it feels to be down, we feel it a lot. I have friends I rarely see still text or call me as soon as something bad happens because they know I'll be there to listen. We appreciate the little things, like being able to sit through a movie and focus on nothing other than what's on the screen, or getting through an entire lunch date with your friend without worrying every 5 minutes about where the nearest bathroom is "just incase". I have good days, I have great days. I am one of the most outgoing, fun people I know. There are days where I have no problem strutting into a bar in my heels alone to meet my friends and chat up the bartender before they arrive. There are days when a stranger will stop me in a grocery store to say "you have beautiful eyes" and I will say "thank you" confidently knowing that yes, they sure are.  No, I don't have cancer, I don't have the flu, but that doesn't mean I am not sick. If you have anxiety, or any mental illness, I'm sure you can relate. Mental illness can be crippling, but it is not who I am. We as a society need to remember this. We need to practice this. The old saying "don't judge a book by its cover" couldn't be more true when it comes to mental illnesses. Just because you can't "see" that someone is sick, doesn't mean that they don't need help. The next time someone tries to let you in with an "I'm tired" comment, listen. They could be telling you something more. My anxiety might scare me, but maybe it's okay to be afraid. With proper treatment, this illness will be manageable, but it will never just "go away" It was a long post but I think it's important that people start to open up about mental health. I'm generally the most outgoing, friendly person I can be because sometimes I am hiding how I truly feel inside. I'm a people person because talking to others makes me forget about what's going on in my anxiety ridden mind. I've received only positive feed back from both friends and family through this story. Which only assures me that I am heading in the right direction with trying to raise awareness.   Written by: Jennifer Brake

Hi, I’m Madison Schill. At some point my last name used to be Von Schiller, which I think if my family hadn’t changed several generations ago, would have made me seem way cooler, which I probably could have used. I started modelling at age 15, and was then signed to FORD models worldwide, where I had the chance to build a home in Paris, New York and all the airports in between during the most formative years of my life. One day I woke up and felt full with this type of experience; I felt it was time to begin cultivating my voice, so I enrolled at the University of Toronto, where I’m currently finishing a degree in theoretical physics, french, and whatever else sparks my curiosity. I am immensely drawn to fashion (perhaps more so than ever before), and to honour that passion of mine, I’m associate producing a documentary on diversity in the fashion industry while working on growing a tech-based fashion platform, which launches in several months. I’ve worked at several fashion magazines, and enjoy threading my love for real, honest humanity through anything I write about in the industry. I’m the Co-founder of a website, Mind Over Model, aimed at sharing an honest, intellectual perspective of our industry with young people, without making it seem like homework at all. A lot of what I do is based all over the world, and I feel New York pulling me back into it’s orbit. One thing is for sure, though; wherever I go, whatever people think of me, I’m a Canadian, first. We asked asked Madison, what does the concept of chasing your passion mean to you? "To me, chasing my passion is akin to chasing the tiny voice in my head that tells me I should be doing the things that scare me; the things I see other people not doing and feel I could create. I’m passionate about connections, about making people feel like fully-formed versions of themselves, about waking up in the morning with stardust in my throat because I’m that excited to start my day. Chasing my passions is about saying “look, I’m human, and I own that. But what I’m about to do, what I’m about to create, that isn’t…and its legacy will last far longer than I ever will.”