Congratulations Fatima Formuli, third-year Mental Health Studies Co-op student for being named a Laidlaw Scholar. Fatima was awarded this achievement from her research and activism in exploring how to improve mentalhealth care access for Muslim Canadian communities this summer.
The Laidlaw Scholars is committed to developing the next generation of leaders. Fatima is striving to build a future where she can contribute to creating an environment that is free from discrimination and prejudice of all types. Specifically, she hopes to see everyone have equal access to and feel safe accessing healthcare including mental health services.
"In high school, I organized a conference and invited religious leaders to talk about how mental health impacts youth from a religious perspective. From then on, I was always curious about how mental health affects Muslim communities and whether there are strategies that could increase help seeking for my community.
"When I saw the posting for the Laidlaw Scholars program, I decided I would explore this topic and address the gap in the literature on Muslim Canadian mental health. With the pandemic worsening mental health outcomes for many people, it felt even more fitting to explore this topic."
Hear more about Fatima’s Laidlaw Scholar Spotlight here!