Founding Story
Fluent in Minds was inspired by Sissi Zhao’s firsthand experience navigating the mental healthcare system with her immigrant family. During her hospitalization and treatment process for an eating disorder, she noticed that many resources concerning hospital policies and lesser known mental illnesses were unavailable in other languages. She personally translated much of this information for her parents into Mandarin Chinese and became aware of the necessity of accessible knowledge.
Mental health struggles are often challenging to navigate for the patient and their loved ones even without language barriers. Sissi knew the diversity in Vancouver meant that there were others who faced similar challenges and barriers. What started as a small effort to assist her family quickly grew and caught the interest of other passionate and bilingual youth, which prompted the official establishment of Fluent in Minds.
Today, we hope to continue expanding to reach more communities and alleviate some of the anxiety and fear that may come with mental healthcare.
Our Mission
Fluent in Minds is committed to lowering language barriers to work towards equitable access to mental health care for non-English speaking communities. We empower immigrants and other marginalized groups in Vancouver, British Columbia, by providing translated mental health information, promoting awareness, and destigmatizing mental health challenges.
We dream of building a community where everyone has access to the help and support they deserve.
As a youth-led nonprofit, Fluent in Minds brings a unique perspective to our mission of equitable mental health care. Our approach connects us with diverse communities in innovative ways, addressing challenges with a forward-thinking mindset, ensuring our work is both inclusive and relevant.
Core Values
Our core values are the foundation of everything we do at Fluent in Minds. These guiding principles serve as the pillars of our organization, shaping our mission.
Through our commitment to these values, we strive to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for the communities we serve.
Inclusivity
We believe in providing mental health resources to everyone, regardless of language or cultural background, ensuring that all individuals have the opportunity to access care.
Integrity
Integrity is at the heart of everything we do at Fluent in Minds. We believe that offering accurate, trustworthy mental health information is essential to truly supporting our community. That’s why all resources shared on our platform are sourced from professional institutions and qualified experts.
We are equally committed to ensuring that our translations are both accurate and culturally representative. Each translation undergoes several rounds of review to guarantee that the language is sensitive, respectful, and contextually appropriate.
By maintaining this high standard of integrity, we can provide reliable and meaningful support to those navigating their mental health journeys.
Education
We are committed to educating the public about mental health to reduce stigma, enhance understanding, and promote preventative care. We empower individuals by providing them with the knowledge and tools necessary to advocate for their mental health and that of their loved ones.
Collaboration
We work alongside mental health professionals, institutions, and communities to create a supportive environment for mental health care.
Compassion
We approach our work with empathy and care, understanding the unique challenges faced by immigrants and their families in navigating mental health issues.
Connecting Our Community
As a youth-led nonprofit, Fluent in Minds brings a unique perspective to our mission of equitable mental health care. Our approach connects us with diverse communities in innovative ways, addressing challenges with a forward-thinking mindset, ensuring our work is both inclusive and relevant.
Fluent in Minds thrives thanks to our dedicated volunteers and community partners. Thank you for making our dream possible.