Growing up in Burlington was a bit of a culture shock at first, says Richelle Papin, former Halton District School Board Trustee.
She was born in British Columbia, and at 18 months old, her parents moved the entire family to Africa. In the later 1960s, they moved back to Canada to settle in Aldershot in Burlington. They expected to stay a few years but loved it so much that they are still here.
She remembers when they came back to Canada, there were gigantic snow piles, extreme cold as compared to Africa, and she attended a school where no one looked like her.
In the 1960s, there were very few Black children in the Burlington area.
“Moving here was a shock, my hair, skin colour, and my facial features were different from all my friends. My parents did their best to keep a good support system in place, but the reality was that our family was different. You see, my mom was white and my dad was Black. It was hard to fit in anywhere,” says Richelle.
“I always like to reflect on my past during Black History Month. I don’t remember specific incidences of racism when I was young. I would say that it was there, but it was subtle, almost matter-of-fact. Like the time my ballet teacher told me that Black girls could not be ballerinas. I’ve been called the N-word once, by a former co-worker. My friends at school were not allowed by their parents to attend birthday parties or sleepovers at my house.”
“I do consider myself lucky to grow up in Burlington. My parents taught me to be strong, go after your dreams and be passionate about what you do in the world,” says Richelle.
She hopes she has opened doors for other woman who aspire to leadership.
On becoming a community leader, Richelle notes, “First we have to acknowledge the challenges everyone faces in becoming a leader in the community. Leadership comes from community engagement. Being engaged in the community takes time and effort. Being willing to put in the time and effort can be a challenge. That said, one must first believe in themselves as leaders in the community before they can be accepted by the community.”
Richelle recommends these tips for woman leaders: get a good education in your chosen field; do something you believe is worthwhile; be passionate, but don’t take yourself too seriously; remember when one door closes, another opens, and be prepared to pivot even though it’s more than you want to. She further notes that for women of colour in leadership positions, not only are there the challenges of being a woman, but also of being a visual minority. More women of colour are needed in leadership roles, Richelle says, to “acknowledge that there are qualified women of colour able to take on leadership roles.”
As well as reflecting on her own past during Black History Month, Richelle says that acknowledging Canada’s historical Black leaders during this month highlights the best of Black history and culture, creating awareness of Black people’s place in Canada’s past. As Richelle says, “Black history is [all of] our history.”
Celebrating the accomplishments of previous Black leaders also gives some perspective on today, where more people of colour are now in positions of authority. Richelle points out that just last year, the Halton District School Board hired its first Black director, and that the senior administration is now more diverse than even five years ago. As Richelle says, “Change often comes in small steps. As long as you are moving in the right direction, you are breaking barriers.”
“In the future, we just need to work together to eradicate systemic racism and celebrate our differences. Let’s take a moment to get to know the person before we judge them on culture, race or skin colour. We’ve made progress, but we need to continue to work at policies and education to further our understanding of each other. The sharing of stories during Black History Month can help.”
“Unfortunately, sometimes it feels like we’re trying to catch air.”
Richelle currently works for the CRA and loves to volunteer and fundraise for the Halton Black History Awareness Society, the United Way, Heart & Stroke, and St. Matthew’s Church.
Last year, Milla Pickfield interviewed Rene Papin for local-news.ca; read that story here.
