V. Ophelia Rigault

Each year I post this image.

It's a reminder that we have to be intentionally in taken time to rest. For me, this season I am taking time to heal and recover. I am fortunate that I can do so. I've set up email response created some boundaries cancelled meetings and even cancelled some personal appointments.

I want to remind those leading equity and inclusion work, especially those of us who are racialized or marginalised, this is your permission slip: YOU ARE ALLOWED TO REST.

As the year winds down, many of us are carrying more than just professional responsibilities. We’re holding the grief, the hope, and the lived realities of our communities. We’re not just advocates - we’re impacted. And that weight is real.

So know that:,
Rest is not a luxury.
It’s a necessity.
It’s a boundary.
It’s a form of resistance.

Taking a break doesn’t mean stepping away from the mission. It means honouring your humanity. It means modelling what sustainability looks like in movements that demand so much of us.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or just stretched too thin, please know support is available 24/7.

📞 kingston crisis & support line
local: 613.544.4229
toll-free: 1.866.616.6005

🌐 find a crisis line near you: yourlifecounts.org/need-help/crisis-lines

And if you’re not in crisis but simply need to pause, do it.
Whether it’s a walk, a nap, a journal entry, or a moment of silence, your well-being matters.

We must prioritize our self-care in order to continue to this work. Remember, Audre Lorde said it best: "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare."

Go rest now!
Ophelia

The Canadian Coalition of Women in Engineering, Science, Trades and Technology - CCWESTT Gender Equality Report Card indicates that Canada has made progress toward gender equality in science, engineering, trades, and technology, although significant gaps remain. Women—especially those from Indigenous, racialized, disabled, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities—continue to face pay inequities, underrepresentation in leadership, and barriers to entry and retention.

The CCWESTT Gender Equality Report Card highlights that jurisdictions play a crucial role in shaping workplaces and the experiences of those within them. For its part, the Canadian Government received a grade of B, reflecting progress but underscoring that more work is needed. Most provincial and territorial governments did not score as highly. The report calls for stronger national coordination, more effective enforcement of equality laws, and safer, more accessible workplaces, along with practical supports such as childcare and credential recognition to achieve lasting inclusion in SETT fields.

Learn more about the gender equity report card at https://ccwestt-ccfsimt.org/reportcard/

Where I stand!

I’m a Black woman in my 50s, and I’ve come to love not just who I am, but the beauty and strength of my body.

Every morning I remind myself that self-acceptance isn’t a destination—it’s a promise I keep to myself, day after day.

I’ve also come to a place where I won’t stay silent when racist or sexist words cut through a room. I stand up—for myself and for anyone who’s been demeaned, marginalized or racialized.

But I refuse to carry the burden of being everyone’s teacher.

By 2025, I simply don’t have the political, emotional or spiritual energy to relitigate impact over intent, to explain why your tears will not dismiss the hurt you caused or trade with you on your personal examples like debate points.

Recently, in a volunteer communuty meeting, the leader—who happens to occupy a white body—prefaced a sentence with “I don’t mean to offend,” then said, “We need to do this the Canadian way.”

My heart dropped.

In that moment, my boundary kicked in: I spoke up right then and there. Later, their emailed apology didn’t centre my experience of being wounded. It centred their fear of being perceived as racist.

That’s classic gaslighting: I name the harm, and you pivot to how you’ve been hurt too. You shift the spotlight from my impact back onto your intent. You protect your comfort by dismissing my pain.

Intent is private; impact is public.

If I’m forced to argue about what you meant instead of what you caused, I lose myself in endless defense. I do not defend when I have not wronged.

I lean on my mother’s wisdom: there’s no point arguing with someone who insists the school bus is green when you know it’s yellow.

Life is too beautiful and too short for that.

I stand here in compassion, in dignity, and with clear boundaries.
I stand for love of self and love of community.
I stand for accountability and for listening without defense.

If we’re serious about real inclusion, let’s stop debating intent.
Let’s own our impact.
Let’s truly hear one another.

That’s the work I choose—in every meeting, every conversation, every day. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to work with me.

In Community,
Ophelia

Thinking.
Pondering.
Reflecting.

In these political times of division, we need to find moments of rest, connection and belonging.

👉🏽Moments like this remind me how important it is to pause and embrace introspection.

👉🏽The chaos of life often steals our quiet moments, but there's a certain magic in allowing ourselves to just _be_—to think deeply, dream boldly, and reflect on the journey so far.

📸Thank you, Kaufmann Photography, for perfectly capturing this essence of stillness and strength.

💄Debbie Goulding - Makeup Artist & Educator for Jane Iredale Makeup, your makeup artistry adds a touch of brilliance that makes the moment shine.

🧴And Sonya Briggs of Beauty Chez Renee Inc., you're my secret weapon for radiant, healthy skin—thank you for helping me feel as vibrant as ever!

👉🏽Taking time to pause and reflect reconnects us with our inner truth and joy, lighting up the dark corners of turbulent times.

This mindful practice empowers us to move through life's challenges with grace and persistence, reminding us that even in chaos, there is beauty and resilience waiting to be discovered.

Day 25: Black History Month
A Hand Across Time: The Past Reaches for the Future

In these divisive times, this poignant scene, a young girl reaches out to Harriet Tubman, whose unwavering bravery, selflessness, and quest for freedom continue to inspire countless generations.

This mural transcends mere artistry—it serves as a powerful connection between our history and our aspirations, a reminder that the struggle for liberation endures.
We must keep on moving forward,?as we look back and bring others along on the road of liberation.

May we forever extend our hands to lift those who follow in our footsteps, just as Harriet Tubman did before us. ✨

Day 25: Black History Month
Meet Dr. B. Denham Jolly.

👉🏽Denham Jolly is a prominent figure in Toronto's Black community, known for his success as an entrepreneur, publisher/author, philanthropist, and civil rights activist.

👉🏽Jolly began his entrepreneurial career, in the 1960s, buying and operating rooming houses and nursing homes in Ontario and Texas.

👉🏽In the 1980s, he bought and became publisher of Contrast, a Toronto Black community newspaper founded in 1969.

👉🏽His articles highlighted the diverse experiences of Black people in Toronto, from long-time residents to newcomers from the Caribbean islands.

👉🏽As the founding president of the Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA), Jolly promoted equal opportunities for Black Canadians in business, employment, and education.

👉🏽He generously supported various causes through the BBPA, including scholarships for promising young Black Canadians at the annual Harry Jerome Awards.

👉🏽In 2001, Jolly created FLOW 93.5, Canada’s first Black-owned radio station, which featured Black music and stories from the Black community.

👉🏽The station promoted emerging Black artists, offered scholarships to Black youth, organized free concerts and supported Caribana, a festival celebrating Caribbean culture in Toronto.

👉🏽Jolly has served on many organizations including as Director of the Toronto International Film Festival, Governor of the Toronto YMCA, and Board Member of the Surrey Place Centre in Toronto.

👉🏽His community affairs include the Jamaican Canadian Association, Black Action Defense Committee, Jane and Finch Concerned Citizens, Harriet Tubman Games, Caribana.

👉🏽He has received numerous distinctions and awards, including the Toronto Book Award (2017) for In The Black – My Life, the University of West Indies Raymond Change Award, the McGill University Distinguished Leader Award, Queen’s Gold and Diamond Jubilee Awards, the 2022 Order of Distinction Jamaica and was named Member of the Order of Canada in 2020.

👉🏽The City of Toronto named a street and park “Jolly Way” in his honour. He has been bestowed Honorary Doctorate degrees from University of Toronto and University of Guelph.

👉🏽Jolly continues his philanthropic and activist endeavors such as founding a Breakfast Program at Cornwall College, Jamaica, sponsoring the first Boys Under 12 soccer team, Regent Park, Toronto and sponsoring a Basic School in Jamaica founded by his mother.

Learn more from his remarkable memoir about achieving prosperity in the face of relentless prejudice

In the Black traces B. Denham Jolly’s personal and professional struggle for a place in a country where Black Canadians have faced systematic discrimination. Winner of the 2017 Toronto Book Award

https://ecwpress.com/products/in-the-black