Meet Parsa

I don’t have vitiligo, but my journey started because people I love do.

My sister developed it when we were kids. I didn’t fully get it, but I could see how it affected her, the way people looked at her, the awkward questions, how she pulled away.

I didn’t know how to help, but I could feel it wasn’t easy. Looking back, I wish I’d asked more. I wish I’d listened better.

In university, one of my closest friends opened up about his experience with vitiligo. Again, I realized how much I still had to learn, not just about the condition, but about living in a world that doesn’t always know how to respond to visible difference.

I started volunteering with the Global Vitiligo Foundation, helping where I could.

At one point, I wondered if there could be a Canadian chapter, something for people here, especially living in Newfoundland, a small place in Canada, where we already feel isolated.

But I didn’t know if I had the right to lead something like that. I didn’t have vitiligo, who was I to do this?

GVF introduced me to Omar in 2022, and what started with a few conversations once a month has grown into a national community. At first, it was just an idea. Now, it’s full of life, heart, and shared stories.

This experience has changed me. It’s shown me there’s no single “right” way to live with vitiligo. I’ve met people who’ve had vitiligo 20+ years and still wear long sleeves, not out of shame, but because it feels safest. Others were just diagnosed and already embrace their skin with vibrant confidence. Every journey is different. Some are quiet, some loud, some still unfolding. I still struggle with knowing how to show up, because everyone’s on their own path. What empowers one person may overwhelm another.

Being an ally isn’t about the perfect response, it’s about listening, staying present, and letting people lead in how they want to be supported.

I’ll never pretend to know what it’s like to walk in someone else’s skin. But I do know how much it means to feel seen. And I’ll keep doing what I can to help create spaces where that happens