When Tannia B. and Tanya W. stepped into their roles as Rural Mental Health (RMH) Animators, they expected to facilitate meaningful conversations about mental health in their communities. What they didn’t expect was how deeply the work would transform them—and the people around them.
Based in Banff and Canmore, the duo joined the RMH initiative in 2021, eager to support local well-being after the challenges of the pandemic. Tannia B., an immigrant herself, was curious about how others from diverse backgrounds were coping. Tanya W., a Canmore local and social worker, saw the project as a chance to move deeper into community-based work.
“I wanted to understand what other immigrants were experiencing,” Tannia B. said. “And honestly, I needed it for my own mental health too.”
The project, funded through a multi-community grant, aimed to build inclusive mental health engagement by involving members from different cultural communities. What started as a plan to create programs and materials became something far more dynamic and layered.
“We thought we were animating,” Tannia B. reflected, “but we were just scratching the surface.”
They recruited eight ethno-cultural representatives and conducted over 20 interviews. Each participant brought unique lived and professional experience—some with backgrounds in mental health themselves. But building trust took time. Language barriers, power dynamics, and cultural differences made clear that real engagement couldn’t be rushed.
“If you want real collaboration, you have to slow down,” Tanya W. explained. “We needed space to build trust.”
The work also demanded flexibility. Timelines shifted, meetings multiplied, and the realities of coordinating across industries and schedules pushed the team to rethink what success looked like.
Despite the challenges, the outcome was powerful: deeper connections, stronger collaboration, and increased visibility for underrepresented voices in the Bow Valley.
“One of our biggest wins was simply seeing this diverse group show up every week, sharing and learning together,” said Tanya W. “It challenged the way people—especially in agencies—think about how things have always been done.”
Both women say their biggest lessons have been humility and patience.
“I’m someone who wants to act fast,” Tannia B. laughed. “But community work doesn’t move at that speed. You have to let people come in on their own time.”
For Tanya W., it was about recognizing her own privilege and the importance of listening with intention.
“Real listening is how we grow,” she said. “There’s always more to learn.”
As the project moves forward, the Animators remain hopeful—and grounded—in what they’ve built. The ripple effects have already begun, sparking new conversations across agencies and inspiring new models of care.
Watch the full video interview to hear their journey in their own words—and see how community grows when listening leads the way.
August 18, 2025 - Emily Wilkes