Carly Tik Manthanarack

Give a brief bio about yourself/your background/your history.

I was born in Portage La Prairie but have lived in Winnipeg for the majority of my life. My father was a Laos refugee, and my mother is from a small village in Thailand. Because of my ethnicity, I was always a minority in my class. This led to experiencing overt racial comments and microaggressions.

When I was 9, I was in a train accident which resulted in a partial-left foot amputation. The outcome of this incident resulted in having to physically learn how to walk again and learn how to adapt to a new life as an individual living with a disability. This impacted several areas of my life, such as my mobility, identity, self-esteem, and mental health.

My past experiences shaped me to be the person that I am today. I received counselling to help me process my accident and have worked with great prosthetists who have given me hope and have shown me that disability is not a limitation. Over the years I have learned more about my culture and feel more connected with my Laotian and Thai roots. Overall, my life experiences have taught me the importance of being kind to others because no one truly knows what any individual has gone through. It has taught me the importance of compassion, empathy and supporting each other. Lastly, my experiences have led me to where I am now. Currently, I am completing my Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing (BScPN), and I hold the role as a Winnipeg Representative for the Faculty of Health Studies (FHS) Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee (EDI). For the past 5-years, I have worked as a Family Violence Counselor at a women’s shelter. In this role I provide counselling services and advocacy to women with children who have experienced violence and are transitioning into a chapter of their life where they are no longer experiencing abuse. I continue to provide awareness for intimate partner violence and provide community resources and support for individuals who contact the crisis line or text support line.

What education have you taken?

I am completing my 4th year in the Psychiatric Nursing program at the Brandon University, Winnipeg site and plan to graduate at the end of this winter term. Before entering this program, in 2015, I graduated from the University of Manitoba with a bachelor’s degree in Human Ecology, Family Social Science with a major in Family Violence and a minor in Child and Youth Development.

How did you become interested in your field/area of study?

I knew I wanted to do something in my life where I could support or help others. I became interested in the social science field after taking a university course on family violence. This led to me wanting to learn more about how violence impacts the family dynamic and individual and what I can do to help decrease the adverse outcomes; this led to my graduation in Family Social Science in 2015.

Fast forward to 2019, I decided on a career change. I have witnessed the accounts of women and children who have experienced various forms of violence and trauma. The impact of that can lead to a decrease in a person’s mental health, physical health, and social determinants. From my education and experience, I was able to provide support in the field of family violence prevention, but not in the field of mental health. Thus, how I came to where I am now, studying to become a psychiatric nurse.

I became interested in being a member of the FHS EDI committee because I wanted to be part of a team of individuals promoting equity, inclusion, and diversity for the Faculty of Health Studies.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

I am very proud to be a Winnipeg representative for the FHS EDI committee and I attended the first official FHS EDI committee meeting on January 24, 2022. I was involved in shaping and developing the original FHS Anti-Racism Action Plan and provided a student perspective for action items. I have collaborated with other FHS EDI committee members to create the research proposal “Informing Policy Creation to Support BIPoC Students in Nursing and Psychiatric Nursing Programs”; this was recently approved for the Faculty of Health Studies and Centre for Critical Studies of Rural Mental Health Grant. I will continue to be involved as a co-investigator on this study until completion.

In addition to being a committee member, I created a safe space for students to bring forward concerns about racism. I brought these student concerns to the committee and advocated for strategies to address the issue. This prompted the committee to have a discussion with Diversity and Human Rights Advisor regarding actions on behalf of students.

Another accomplishment I am proud of was advocating for the 4th year students to attend the Mental Health Networking and Resource Expo. This was the first in-person event we could attend as a cohort since many of these events and opportunities were put on hold or held virtually because of the pandemic.

My academic accomplishments include receiving the 2020 Jack and Evelyn Gabel Memorial Scholarship in Psychiatric Nursing, placement on the Dean’s Honour list for the past two years and getting inducted into President’s Honour Society last year.

Outside of my academics, I’m proud of my work, where I support women with children to flee from abusive/unsafe situations. I am also proud of my previous volunteer experiences. This includes my time on the Klinic Crisis Line and the Sexual Assault Crisis Program (SACP), Ronald McDonald Family Room, and organizing group events with my family and friends to give back to the community during the Christmas season.

Where do you see yourself in the future? What do you hope to undertake or accomplish once you leave BU?

In the future, I see myself working in the community where I provide counselling services and support for individuals managing or trying to manage their mental health. I would also like to contribute to the community by advocating suicide prevention and awareness for vulnerable youths.

What I hope to undertake or accomplish once I leave BU is the ability to promote and advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion for clients/patients that I interact with, colleagues that I collaborate with and future BU students in the Psychiatric Nursing program.

What is your philosophy in life?

“Whatever makes you feel uncomfortable is your biggest opportunity for growth” – Bryant H. McGill

In one sentence, how will you #EmbraceEquity?

I will #EmbraceEquity by addressing individuals’ needs and concerns from a client-centred lens and advocating for treatment based on the individuals’ circumstances.

Nominator’s Comments:  

Carly has been a member of the Faculty of Health Studies (FHS) Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee since January 2022. Carly works closely with faculty members and other students to adapt action items from the FHS Anti-Racism action plan to prioritize current issues and concerns experienced by FHS students. Carly advocates for a more equitable and inclusive environment for all students in the FHS by providing a safe space for students to voice their concerns and by offering guidance and resources to students if they encounter discriminatory treatment from faculty or peers. Carly also raises issues and concerns voice by students (always with consent and while maintaining confidentiality) at EDI committee meetings to develop solutions, promote awareness and address the concerns. Carly contributed to the research proposal “Informing Policy Creation to Support BIPoC Students in Nursing and Psychiatric Nursing Programs” by working in collaboration with faculty members on the EDI committee during the literature review and proposal writing stage. The proposal was recently approved for a research grant. Carly also advocated for her peers to attend the Mental Health Networking and Resource Expo to provide an opportunity for students to connect and network with the mental health and addiction resources available in the community. Establishing these connections and having this knowledge on resources is beneficial to future Psychiatric Nurses when they are collaborating with clients on their recovery plans in the community.