Gia

At the age of 15, Gia considers herself a possibilitarian – a believer in the incredible power of the young brain. She was diagnosed with severe dyslexia at age 8 and endured years of intensive reading exercises, poor self-confidence, anxiety, and stigma from her peers, teachers, the school system, and society in general. Thankfully, Gia learned valuable life skills such as resilience, communication & adaptability over 9 years at Future-Ready Minds Leadership Programs where she was a student, volunteer and now a dedicated co-instructor.

After a specific incident of bullying in grade 4, Gia decided to educate others about her unique brain & her first talk was titled “My Gift of Dyslexia”. At the age of 12, she became a Youth Ambassador for Stigma Free Society. She bravely shared her story with hundreds of youth; educating, inspiring, and breaking down the stigma of neurodiversity. In 2024, Gia spoke about the pros and cons of social media for her generation on The BC Children’s Hospital, Kelty Resource Center Podcast.

In 2025, she will be part of the Stigma-Free Mental Health Society’s television docuseries on mental health aired on the TELUS Healthy Living Network where she shared her journey with anxiety, hormones & what she calls “teenopause.” At the age of 15, Gia is a proud possiblitarian, dyslexia & neurodiversity advocate, seasoned public speaker, three-sport athlete, Volleyball MVP and 2 time provincial champion. GIa is a sister to two annoying older brothers, friend to many & her motto is “work hard, think positive, make the world a better place & have fun!”