A bit about me.
I love this old photo.
I found it a few years ago while I was packing for my move to Ottawa. It was taken while I was hiking the Cory Pass trail in Alberta when I was 21. There’s a very particular itch that I get when I haven’t hiked up a mountain in a while. Suffice to say, heading into the fourth year of pandemic, I have a long list of places to visit when the world opens up again.
Hi, I’m Róisín.
But you probably already know that by now! So here’s some stuff you might not know yet.
Róisín is pronounced Ro-sheen. It makes me think of my kayak paddle hitting a shimmering lake.
When I’m not paddling in a lake, I am creating beautiful communications projects with my design counterpart, Katie. You can find our work at Pith & Pulp.
Prior to setting up our little shop, I worked as the Editor of a magazine, the Monitor. It was a big undertaking, as the publication’s first Editor who wasn't a cis/het man, and as someone who is openly disabled. During my tenure, I ensured that the publication achieved gender parity in every issue that we published and implemented a pronoun inclusion policy for all of the contributors (🎶 because you can’t know someone’s gender just by reading their name 🎶). I also introduced a prismatic approach to engaging with issues – rather than having a single feature issue on a topic, I had multiple authors from various lived experiences engage with the issue from different entry points to give our readership a range of perspectives.
Prior to this role, I acquired 10 years of experience in communications and campaigning work, beginning my career while I was in school at Simon Fraser University. I completed both a first class honours undergraduate degree in Communication with a minor in Dialogue and an MA in Communication at SFU.
I am disabled and chronically ill but having passing privilege. As a white able-presenting person, I work to make the world more accessible, including the world of progressive organizing and research.
What I’ve been up to
I recently completed my term as a board member with the Riverside Park Community Association where I was the chair of the Planning and Land Use Committee. I also served as a member of the Federation of Community Associations’ Planning and Zoning Committee. It was an honour to get to serve my community at this level, and contributing to our New Official Plan submission.
Currently, I volunteer with Horizon Ottawa and am the founder and an organizer/meal provider with Ottawa Community Cooks.
My volunteer service includes two terms with the Ottawa Valley Roller Derby Ombuds Committee and Strategic Planning Committee, as well as serving on the Board of Directors for two years. In 2021, I also completed a term with the Talking Back Feminist Media Conference Steering Committee.
While I was an elected member of the Ottawa South NDP Executive Committee, I resigned due to the Federal NDP’s silence on the continued logging of Fairy Creek and the ongoing UNDRIP violations and violence experienced the Wet’suwet’en First Nations who oppose the construction of a fracked gas pipeline through their home.
When I’m not organizing, I like to spend my time park skating (and in the pre-pandemic times, playing roller derby), running, gardening, canning, hiking, kayaking, and cross stitching. I live in what is known as Ottawa, on the unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation. As a settler in this place, I aim to be a good steward of the land and water while I am here.
The highlight of my time in this place has been successfully convincing my dog, Woofums, to get into a canoe and paddle around a lake with me. I’d say we are still 2 years away from being able to portage anywhere. And yes, I am being incredibly optimistic.