We are thrilled to announce the return of our blog series, Breaking Barriers: Women Who Lead. Throughout 2025, we will highlight various women leaders who advocate for gender equity, believe in the power of sport, and continue to support and amplify the need to get more girls in sport and physical activity. They are women who broke down barriers (and continue to do so), are leaders in their fields, and who hope to leave an impact on their sectors. We’re so excited for our series to return by chatting with Ivy Richardson, Founder of Red Girl Rising Movement Society, Coach and Founder of Team 700, Co-Owner and Coach of Nanaimo Boxing Club, and a community leader supporting movement and empowerment in Indigenous communities.

BLENDING MOVEMENT WITH CEREMONY. Ivy’S JOURNEY AS A COACH, PROGRAM FOUNDER, AND Community leader IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES

Before she even put on a pair of boxing gloves, Ivy Richardson was already moving with purpose. As a kid, she would run home from school, instead of walking. Her mom loves to tell the story of a young Ivy digging through a change jar, heading to a neighbour’s garage sale, and coming home with a pair of boxing gloves. “No memory of this,” Ivy says. “but I’ve always been pulled to movement.”

When Ivy first stepped into a boxing gym at 23, she felt like she was already too late. “I felt like I had so much catching up to do,” she says. “I definitely overtrained and it wasn’t sustainable because I felt like I had to do double, triple what everyone else was doing.” That pressure to accelerate burned her out before she even realized what she was running toward. Today, if she could go back and talk to that 23-year-old, her advice would be simple: “Slow down.”

Ivy didn’t plan to become a coach. But after Nationals, her coach suggested she look into coaching. What started as a placeholder became her purpose. Through coaching, Ivy turned her personal love of movement into a community-driven commitment, blending culture, healing, and Indigenous-led programming through Red Girl Rising (RGR) Movement Society.

“I noticed that when we took our (Indigenous) youth to ceremonies or events, they would do really well. But when we would come home, things would happen,” she recalls. “That’s where this idea of living every day like a ceremony came into play.”

“Community is everything. We do nothing by ourselves.”

For Ivy, boxing became a daily form of ceremony- a way to ground herself and reconnect. “Movement is kind of like our hook,” she says. Her programs integrate ceremonial practices to help participants redefine their relationship to movement. For some youth, it could be their first time experiencing culture through physical activity.

Ivy doesn’t assume she knows what participants need. She listens. “Community is everything,” she says. “We do nothing by ourselves.” That principle is woven into every RGR initiative, from design to delivery.

Though her work isn’t centred solely on girls and women, Ivy recognizes the significance of identity in her work. “I do find that I attract more girls and women into my programming and I think it’s because it’s women-lead.” Being a woman in a male-dominate space made Ivy want to bring more women into that space.

“I do find that I attract more girls and women into my programming and I think it’s because it’s women-lead.”

While Ivy’s passion is clear, so are the challenges. Funding, she says, is one of the biggest hurdles. “This is the first year we’ve secured multi-year support for one of our programs,” she shares. “Before that, it was week-to-week, month-to-month. And sometimes we were doing the work without being paid, because we love the work, we love our community, and the program’s having too much impact.”

The lack of consistent funding weighs on her. “There are so many organizations doing good things.” Ivy says. “It’s quite possible for all of us to thrive.” She emphasizes the need for better support. “We all want to see our community be well and thrive” she says. “That’s like the ultimate foundation for the work we’re doing.”

“Find what you’re passionate about and build a job around it. You’ll never work a day in your life if you do that.”

Ivy speaks often about a message her first coach left her with “Find what you’re passionate about and build a job around it,” she says. “You’ll never work a day in your life if you do that.” Ivy’s love for movement and her ability to see gaps in her community led her to create something meaningful- not just for herself, but for others, too.

From racing home as a child to leading organizations rooted in culture and care, Ivy Richardson has always moved with purpose. Now she’s helping others do the same.

Our Breaking Barriers: Women Who Lead blog series highlights women in leadership positions who are passionate about empowering girls through sport, physical activity and education. Launched in January 2025, the series will highlight various women throughout 2025. If you are interested in learning more or supporting this series, please email us at info@girlsforward.ca