Emily Robinson
Emily Robinson is our Chess Educator for the month of October.
Emily has been playing chess since she was 6 years old and has Ron Weasley, from the world of Harry Potter, to thank for it. Dedicated to the cause of empowering girls and giving them confidence, Emily draws from her own extensive experience as a chess player in a male- dominated sport and works hard to make sure her students know their worth and surround themselves with the right people.
Check out the full chat with Emily Robinson. Find out more about Emily’s interests outside of chess, what empowerment really means to her and how her biggest dreams are linked to Disney.
1. How did chess first enter your life?
Chess first entered my life when I was 6 years old. I watched Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. One of the characters, Ron, loved playing chess, and even played a life-sized chess game at the end of the movie. When I was 7 years old, my school started a chess club where anyone in grade 2 or higher could join. I knew nothing about chess, other than it was in Harry Potter, but I was eager to join a club at school, and there aren’t many clubs for second graders. I picked up the game quickly and fell in love with the beauty of it.
2. What made you fall in love with the game?
Many things made me fall in love with chess. I have always loved problem-solving and doing puzzles, and that’s a lot of what chess is. I also love how each game is unique; there are a seemingly infinite number of moves on the board, and no two games are exactly the same. It’s like a beautiful dance. On a grassroots level, the chess club teacher at my grade school was someone I looked up to. She was so supportive of my endeavours and constantly pushed me to step out of my comfort zone to learn more. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her support and encouragement.
3. How has chess changed or impacted your life, especially as a woman in male-dominated environments?
The chess world has taught me that everyone has their niche - their passion. It looks different for everyone, but for me that is chess. I often felt alone and out of place as a little girl, but the chess world showed me my people and helped me find where I fit in. Being a girl in a male- dominated environment also taught me resilience and how to stand up for myself. It forced me to think critically about my place in the world, and about the way that women and girls are often still treated poorly in environments that are predominantly male. It was very difficult at times, constantly being looked down upon for being a girl in chess, being told that I would never be as good as the boys, but it made me more determined to prove them wrong. Chess shaped me into the strong, proud, independent woman that I am today, and helped me become the role model for other little girls that I wish I had as a young female chess player.
4. Why do you feel so strongly about empowering girls?
I feel so strongly about empowering girls because every girl should feel like she can do whatever she puts her mind to. Girls are so strong, powerful, resilient, and talented, and it is a shame that society tries to limit girls’ abilities and futures by putting us into little boxes based on what society thinks girls should be. Like I mentioned earlier, I want to be the role model for little girls that I wish I had when I was young.
5. Other than chess, what brings you joy?
There are many things in my life that bring me joy. I am an avid tent camper and hiker, and I am constantly seeking new adventures. I also love photography and painting and I enjoy building LEGO. Something else that brings me joy is decorating my home for the holidays and the changing of seasons. I just decorated my mantle and front porch for autumn and seeing it all colourful and done up always brings a smile to my face.
6. What is the most important thing that you want your students to know?
The most important thing that I want my students to know is to surround themselves with people who lift them up and who support their goals and aspirations, because the more support, love, and encouragement that is shown to someone, the more comfortable they are and the more they can achieve. There is a quote by my favourite poet that really resonates with this idea: “Watch carefully the magic that occurs when you give a person enough comfort to just be themselves.” -Atticus
7. What do you struggle with the most and how do you deal with that?
Something that I struggle with the most is my perfectionism. I strive to be the best that I can be at all times - polished, and professional. While it is absolutely okay to strive to be the best that I can be, I often take it too far. For example, when I first started teaching with Girl Boss Chess, I was so nervous about messing up a lesson that I wrote myself an entire script to read off of for the whole class, all the way down to how to introduce myself! I’ve had to recognize and remind myself that no one is perfect, and that, for the most part, people love me for me, not for the perfect version of myself that I try to create. It’s definitely a learning process, and it involves giving myself a lot of pep talks about being authentic and being myself and remembering that mistakes are a normal part of learning and growing.
8. Who or what inspires you?
My students inspire me. Their love of chess and eagerness to learn never ceases to amaze me. The zest for life and the excitement they show in class constantly reignites that passion for chess and the drive for learning and growing that I have burning inside me. My students have changed me for the better and I am so proud of each of them.
9. What is your biggest dream for yourself or what do you hope to accomplish in your life?
One of my biggest dreams for myself is to graduate from art therapy school and to provide therapeutic resources to our community’s most vulnerable. On a sillier note, another of my biggest dreams is to one day go on a Disney Cruise, because I’ve only been to Disney once, and I have never been on a cruise.
10. What is a Girl Boss in your opinion?
A Girl Boss is someone who is passionate, driven and determined. She stands up for herself, and goes after her goals. She lifts others up and wants them to succeed and demonstrates that through working together with other Girl Bosses. A Girl Boss is someone who pushes the boundaries that society has put in place for girls and challenges what it means to be a girl in whatever sport, activity, or career that she wants to pursue.
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