Posted by ReyFort Media
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
Hello and mabuhay—my name is Ria Renouf and I’m 35 years old! I am proud to be representing Vancouver at Canada Galaxy Pageants this year! I’ve been married to my husband Jonathon (Jon) for seven years and worked for ten years as a major market journalist; I have had bylines at Global News and CityNews Vancouver. I left major market broadcasting to give marketing and communications a try, and it turns out I really like it!
Today I run my own business providing new marketing and multimedia support, in particular to not-for-profit organizations. I also work for the City of New Westminster on its Crises Response Pilot Project. This pilot project is meant to address homelessness, mental health and substance use in the community. I hope you’ll take some time to read about it online at newwestcity.ca/crises-response-project.
Why did you decide to join Canada Galaxy Pageants?
I have been watching the pageant for the last three years and I finally found the courage to sign up, especially since it and my values around giving back are in alignment. What I have really enjoyed about Canada Galaxy Pageants is it genuinely feels like a sisterhood. I haven’t even hit the stage yet and I’ve already made so many friends from across the country.
For those who are unaware of Canada Galaxy Pageants, it’s a pageant that is dedicated to uplifting and amplifying the voices of girls and women who want to do good and give back their time in their communities. I didn’t want to do any sort of pageant unless there was a huge component that involved giving back; Canada Galaxy is all about putting others first and helping others through volunteerism and community contribution. This pageant system has a spate of active queens who are always out and about doing something to contribute positively, and I was very drawn to that, especially as I’m often volunteering my time when I can—that’s why I joined.
What have the preparations been like for the pageant?
I’ve been preparing for almost a year now, and to stay dialed in I go to the gym and lift weights, I run five or six kilometres a few times a week, and I’m always doing what I can to stay aware of what’s happening in the community. I’ve also been talking anyone’s ear off about Canada Galaxy and everyone’s been interested which is awesome!
One of the really interesting things about pageantry is that most only see what we call the coronation night and think, “oh, that’s it.” That’s not true at all! Sure, pageant delegates should have a good pasarela [pageant walk] and should know how to project and present themselves on stage. However, when you have a title, you’re working the entire year to give back time and also doing your best to examine your strengths and your weaknesses and build and improve on those things.
I’ve had to really hone in on my discipline, and I continue to stay aware of what’s going on in my community by reading/listening to watching the news and having discussions and dialogue with others to see where I can give back my time.
Do you have a platform/advocacy/cause?
While I love to give back my time wherever I can I do have a specific platform that is close to my heart, and that is media literacy. Media literacy refers to recognizing whether something is sourced with accurate information, and accurate information should be backed by tangible research and evidence. When we critically analyze our information sources we can do our part to mitigate the spread of misinformation.
Since I work as a communications professional I often have a front row seat to a ton of information, and also to the way information is shared. I’ve experienced firsthand how misinformation, when it goes unchecked or is not critically questioned can result in things going sideways.
I’m so glad I have the opportunity here in this Q&A session to say something, so my message is: I hope people take the time to critically assess what they’re reading. Don’t be afraid to research what you’re reading, and seek second, third, or even fourth sources for what you see, hear, and/or read. Advocate for the use of plain language! Plain language avoids jargon and helps everyone easily understand what’s being communicated with the fewest barriers so that the turns of phrase are understood by people who are not experts in a topic. And of course, comment sections are not 100% factual sources for information!
To help flex reading muscles I always tell people to simply go to your local library and take out books, because the more reading you do, the more you can practice those skills! I read a lot of fiction books, and even manga. A little bit of reading will go a long way, I promise!
You’re half Filipino–tell us a little bit about your experience being half Pinay.
I was raised by a single mother; my mom is from the Visayas, specifically Aklan. I haven’t been back to the Philippines in almost 20 years and I would love to go back soon. I especially miss my Lola who is also one of my favourite people in the entire world; she passed away at the age of 101 a number of years ago. I’m so happy I got to spend time with her. She and I share a love of Coca Cola, and she would always ask for it at every meal. She would scold me if I didn’t have some!
To me I hold those experiences and hospitality close to my heart. The Filipino heart and hospitality is unrivaled: there are always smiles, joy…and food!
I really struggled to find ways to connect to the Philippines here when I was young until I rediscovered Filipino food. I’ve made so many friends who are in similar positions as me: they haven’t been able to go home, and the closest they’ve come to experiencing the Philippines is food. My husband—who is white—is a trained chef, and while he’s never been to the Philippines he’s always trying to finesse the perfect adobo recipe by getting tips from our kababayan! We’ve been cooking all sorts of dishes together, like adobo, ube cake, Brazo de Mercedes, and puto. I also have to give a shout-out to the local organizations today here in Metro Vancouver who are doing their best to make Filipino culture more visible, whether it’s organizing a Filipino Festival or a babayin or tinikling workshop.
Some people might think pageants are irrelevant today. What’s your message to them?
The adage “never judge a book by its cover” is appropriate here. I think understanding that a pageant is more than just a crown and a title is so important. Many of the people who take part in pageants are looking for camaraderie, community, kindness, and sisterhood. I hope people will take time to not only watch pageants, but to also read about the people who are participating—so many of the delegates have incredible resumes! We come from all walks of life and are simply striving to find sisterhood and service. And I’m beyond proud to say I’m participating in the Canada Galaxy Pageants to champion a galaxy for good.
If we want to cheer you on, how can we watch you?
Please give Canada Galaxy Pageants a follow through their Instagram and Facebook channels! Their Instagram handle is @canadagalaxypageants. On Facebook, please follow them at facebook.com/canadagalaxypageants. The live stream link for the pageant will be posted to those channels before finals night.
Finals night will be happening on Sunday October 26 at the Meridian Centre for the Arts in Toronto, Ontario. If you happen to be free that night and are in the area, you can also purchase tickets through Ticketmaster by searching for Canada Galaxy Pageants! The pageant will start at 7 PM EST/4 PM PST.
Thanks for chatting with us, Ria…and good luck!
Laban! Maraming salamat po for the opportunity to chat about Canada Galaxy and my experiences—I truly feel the bayanihan spirit here!
ReyFort Media 
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