Charlize Fong

BeyoundSelf
Co-Founder

Charlize Fong is a 15 year old student based in Hong Kong, China, and she is the co-founder of BeyoundSelf. 

Growing up, she has a diversified range of interests, ranging from simply painting to learning about the complexity of neuroscience. When she was 13 or 14, the Covid-19 pandemic severely impacted practically every area of her life, including the educational system. This highlighted how her mental health can change drastically over time and impact those around her. This experience led herself to discover her interest in exploring the field of mental health, especially its impact on youths.

In high school, she was advocating for more awareness at the intersectionalities of mental health, including its relationship with healthcare, children’s rights, climate change and gender equality. At school, as the service assistant for her house, she organized and engaged in service projects. In addition, for almost two years, she served as a tutor representative in the grade level leadership team, as well as a mentor for younger students. 

Additionally, she is co-founder of Beyoundself, a student-run organization that promotes autism awareness in Hong Kong. She has also completed a research paper this summer studying the psychology of bilingual children's executive function abilities while taking a neuroscience course at Columbia University. Beyoundself was presented at Young Pioneers Forum as part of StartmeupHK Festival 2022, organized by InvestHK. 

Apart from mental health, she is also actively growing her knowledge in the areas of Neuroscience, Psychology, Astrology and Art.

In the future, she seeks to advocate for delivering quality and equitable healthcare, including mental health, for all. She envisions herself working in an environment that incorporates aspects of neuroscience or psychology, using her interests for art and astrology to positively influence those around her.