Featured Face: Dorothée Bolade

by | Sep 25, 2025 | 30 Faces of YES

Meet Dorothée Bolade: One of Our 30 Faces of YES

When Dorothée arrived in Montreal in 2017, she carried her young child, a suitcase, and a determination to start fresh. Leaving the UK behind, she faced the challenge of navigating a new job market—in a new language—while finding her footing as a newcomer and a mother. Her search led her to YES, where a single job-seeking session opened the door to a community of resources, support, and possibilities.

Years later, that first step grew into something bigger. With the guidance of her YES coach Caroline and a wealth of training opportunities, Dorothée turned an idea into a vibrant business: creating beautifully illustrated colouring books that celebrate African kingdoms and heritage. From seeing her debut book on the shelves of Indigo to being named a CBC Black Changemaker for Quebec, her journey is proof that perseverance, along with the right support, can transform a dream into impact.

Her story launches our 30 Faces of YES campaign, celebrating three decades of empowerment across Quebec. Over the coming months, we’ll highlight 30 remarkable clients—jobseekers, entrepreneurs, and artists—whose successes reflect the power of community and possibility. Join us as we honour 30 years of YES and the people who embody its spirit.

Interview with Dorothée

 

What brought you to YES, and what were you hoping to achieve at that time?
As a new arrival in Quebec, I arrived in Montreal with a young child in hand during the winter of 2017. I had left my life in the UK behind and was keen to get into work quickly after finishing a year of maternity leave. Navigating a new job market, particularly in French was challenging until I found YES Montreal while searching online! Arriving at YES for a job seeking session was a good experience as I was able to understand the unique requirements of employers in this province. The introduction to all the services available via YES was a standout, particularly the opportunities to start a business which I was able to tap into years later.

 

Being assigned to a coach has been the most beneficial element of support that I have received. I am particularly pleased that I have had the stability of my coach Caroline who has been immensely helpful in holding me accountable towards my goals, providing me with excellent introductions and always willing to help. A standout moment for me has been Caroline’s introduction to a large corporate firm in relation to the Black History month celebrations which has resulted in a really positive relationship that I now have with the organization.

 

How did YES support you in overcoming those challenges or moving forward in your career, business, or artistic journey?

YES is a unique and valuable resource for Montreal/Quebec, not only are many of the services free which removes many of the barriers to entry, they provide cutting-edge training opportunities which are regularly updated and improved. Tapping into YES training has provided me with soft skills that I didn’t even know I needed like helping me to think about my presentation skills, making me more aware of legal aspects of my business and what it would take to host an exhibition.

Where are you now in your journey, and what achievements or milestones are you most proud of?

Every time I give ‘birth’ to a new coloring book, I am always proud of this achievement because I know that it has entailed lots of work, preparation and juggling with my paid work. However, my first ‘birth’ called the ‘The Kings and One Queen of the Bamoun Kingdom’ is still my proudest moment. It was born out of the pandemic in 2020 when I realized that my daughter knew everything about the Kingdom of Arendale in Frozen but nothing about the Kingdoms of her heritage.

It set me off on a journey to create coloring books that could highlight some of the great Kingdoms of Africa which are often forgotten or untold. Being chosen as Black Changemaker for Quebec remains a highlight for me and is a moment of pride for me, my family and my family in the UK. YES and particularly Caroline, helped me to become more tenacious with my vision and reach high.

Looking back, is there a particular moment or success that stands out as a turning point?
Seeing my first coloring book on the bookshelf at Indigo! in downtown Montreal was a particular highlight for me, my daughter and husband were beaming with pride when we saw the book on the shelf with a sticker that said “author from here”.

 

Dorothée is currently completing the Portuguese and Yoruba versions of her second coloring book the Get to Know the Benin Bronzes and will have a new coloring book released late autumn celebrating proverbs from around Africa. You can find her books online!

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