Taya Rtichsheva is the perfect picture of an immigrant who found ways to prove any and all of her doubters wrong.
Born and raised in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan, Rtichsheva was a very active child, getting hooked on rhythmic gymnastics at the age of five and later taking classical guitar lessons, before discovering her passion for journalism. She graduated from the University in Russia with an honors bachelor degree in journalism.
In 2011, Rtichsheva immigrated to Canada with 10 years of journalism experience under her belt. But she discovered early on that her experience became a hindrance, as employers deemed her to be overqualified and without connections in an industry heavily dictated by “who you know” as opposed to “what you know.”
“So, I decided to volunteer in different organizations to obtain Canadian experience and build a professional network,” says Rtichsheva, who settled in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
