Yu awarded 3M National Student Fellowship Award

Topaza is actively involved in the areas of youth empowerment, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Her dedication to SRHR is demonstrated by being on both Action Canada’s Sexual Health and Right’s governance and National Youth Advisory Board. Her work with Action Canada includes policy work, community-based research around barriers to care for youth, and creating optimal sexual health promotion campaigns.

She is a strong believer in the principle of “Nothing for Us, Without Us”, which ensures that the people around her inform her advocacy work so that it reflects their experiences and needs. In addition to “Nothing for Us Without Us,” she aims to apply an Anti-racism and Anti-Oppression (ARAO) lens to her work. ARAO means unlearning colonial structures deeply ingrained in our society and being mindful of the conscious and unconscious ways we enable them. Following her Kinesiology honours degree, Topaza hopes to continue her work SRHR work through advocacy, counselling, and entrepreneurship.

For a list of all winners, please click here.