[Content warning: loss] Opera Mariposa is saddened to announce the passing of our longest-standing volunteer. Gum Chu Cheong (a.k.a. @itsjacquelineko.bsky.social & @sinistralscribe.bsky.social's maternal grandfather, a.k.a. “Gung Gung”), passed away peacefully on Nov 28, 2025 at the age of 95.

Happy International #DisabilityDay! Today we're celebrating the wonderful disabled creatives we've been blessed to work with at Opera Mariposa - and encourage you to check out our roundup of resources about accessibility in the performing arts at operamariposa.com/resources/! #IDPD

Ten thousand thanks to everyone who supported our 2025 Benefit + Awareness Month! With your help, we raised $10,626.98 for @mefmsocietyofbc.bsky.social and people with #MECFS, #LongCovid & #fibromyalgia - which brings our charity fundraising total to over $150,000 since Opera Mariposa started! 1/3

"In these pieces, multidisciplinary #artists with #MECFS, #LongCovid and #Fibromyalgia have done just that – fusing #art and #advocacy to reveal life with invisible and invisibilized illnesses.": buff.ly/lP9G9zB via @operamariposa.bsky.social

Catch Mariposa co-founder Robin Hahn on a special 50th episode edition of the @artsably.com podcast! Coming June 13th - more info at www.eventbrite.ca/e/artsably-i... Access: Live on Zoom & recorded. Captions & transcript. Audience members can join w/ camera & mic off. Includes Q&A.

Tomorrow (June 1) is the last chance to enter our Benefit + Awareness prize draw! We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has joined us so far in support of @mefmsocietyofbc.bsky.social and the rising number of people affected by #MECFS, #LongCovid, and #fibromyalgia.

Huge thanks to Chinatown's Kam Wai Dim Sum 金 威 點 心, who is supporting our Benefit + Awareness Month for another year! This family-run company is donating $100 in gift cards for ready-to-eat takeaway or dim sum classics you can prepare at home.

Our #BAMonth2025 prize draw features over $1,000 in gift cards & gift certificates - included from Canadian food delivery service Skip (previously Skip The Dishes) and Lee Valley Tools! Check out all the prizes at prizedraw.operamariposa.com, then #EnterToWin til June 1 in support of charity.

Many thanks to Tesla Adrianne for joining us for #BAMonth2025! There are just 5 days left to #EnterToWin over $3k in amazing prizes in support of @mefmsocietyofbc.bsky.social, including a consultation + 2 hours of remote administrative support from Tesla: prizedraw.operamariposa.com

NOW ON YOUTUBE ▶️ In honour of #BAMonth2025, join opera artist & researcher @skycameron.bsky.social as they discuss how developing #LongCovid has transformed their artistic practice and their relationship to the opera industry. Check it out: youtu.be/jxFitb1nxyw?...

How does #LongCovid affect an opera singer? Opera artist, educator, researcher, & community care worker @skycameron.bsky.social shares their story with us for our 2025 Benefit + Awareness Month - catch the video premiere tomorrow, May 27, at 12 pm PT / 3 pm ET: youtu.be/jxFitb1nxyw?...

Did you know? Our charitable partner @mefmsocietyofbc.bsky.social is run by & for people with #MECFS, #Fibro, & now #LongCovid as well. Long Covid is an umbrella term for the complex suites of symptoms that can persist or develop after a Covid infection. Learn more: www.mefm.bc.ca/what-is-me-w...

As part of our 2025 Benefit + Awareness Month, we’re thrilled to feature opera artist, researcher, & longhauler @skycameron.bsky.social. They’ll be sharing how their experiences with #LongCovid have been shaping their artistic practice. Learn more about Sky at operamariposa.com/artists/#sky...

After yesterday's announcement about our project on immuno-inclusivity in opera (and beyond!), we thought we'd spotlight some of the ways that @essentialopera.bsky.social has prioritized immuno-inclusivity in their digital opera productions 🎶 #MakingOperaAccessible

Big news 📢 @essentialopera.bsky.social, @operamariposa.bsky.social, and a group of Canadian artists and researchers have formed a coalition for an exciting new project. We’re developing a resource on immuno-inclusivity in opera spaces (and beyond!), supported by the Canada Council for the Arts!

I wrote about how I'm participating in this year's ME Awareness & Benefit Month with @operamariposa.bsky.social with some of my #SciArt #embroidery and music! #BAMonth2025 #MECFS #MEAwarenessMonth liapas.com/2025/05/20/o...

Big thanks to @essentialopera.bsky.social for supporting our Benefit + Awareness Month for the second year in a row! Two lucky winners will each snag a Skip food delivery gift card, alongside a household pass to stream one of Essential Opera's digital opera films, 'Etiquette' or 'December'.

Our Benefit + Awareness prize draw features gift baskets & prize packs galore 🌟 Which one’s your fave? Don’t miss your chance to enter to win these & many more prizes, while benefiting @mefmsocietyofbc.bsky.social & the #ChronicIllness community. Head over to prizedraw.operamariposa.com til June 1!

Celebrate our #BAMonth2025 in style ✨ One lucky winner will receive a 'Sweet Pea' necklace & 'Artemis' earrings from our charity prize draw, handcrafted by chainmail jewelry designer Donald McKillican. #EnterToWin at prizedraw.operamariposa.com til June 1 in support of @mefmsocietyofbc.bsky.social!

Thanks you so much for joining us for today's #BlueSunday2025 #TeaPartyForME2025. However you participated - whether you joined the Zoom, hung out in blue PJs, or treated yourself to a nice cuppa tea - we hope you've felt the strength &joy of being in community today 💙 @mefmsocietyofbc.bsky.social

Happy #BlueSunday2025! Today's the beloved annual Tea Party for M.E., and we're thrilled to join all the people around the world who are raising awareness and funds for #MECFS with their own personal tea parties at home 🫖 💙 #pwME #TeaPartyForME2025

Thanks to the amazing, community-minded folks at Stong's Market for supporting our Benefit + Awareness Month for the fifth year in a row 💖 One lucky winner from our charity prize draw will receive a $100 grocery gift card to this local independent grocer. #ShopLocal #BuyCanadian

Excitement is brewing for #BlueSunday2025, the global tea party for ME ☕ After taking part in our online tea party social (coming this Sunday, May 18th: BlueSunday.OperaMariposa.com), why not replenish your stock with this charity prize from Chai Ghai?

Thank you to ahsta blu for supporting our Benefit + Awareness Month for another year in a row! ahsta is a Black West Coast artist whose textured paintings are inspired by nature, & who creates tactile, accessible art experiences for Blind, low vision & sighted art lovers alike.

We're thrilled to team up with Cosy Yoga Club for this year's Benefit + Awareness Month! Until June 1, you can #EnterToWin an 8-class pass to their gentle, accessible, mellow-paced online yoga classes: prizedraw.operamariposa.com

Our Awareness Raiser prize pack showcases work by #ChronicallyIll creatives incl. stickers, postcards, jewelry & more by @berlin-buyers-club.bsky.social, Eileen Theresa Stephens & @christinabaltais.bsky.social, w/ a book by Valerie Free. #EnterToWin til June 1: prizedraw.operamariposa.com

Today on the #May12th International Awareness Day for #MECFS & #fibro, we'd like to take a moment to honour those who are no longer with us - but whose advocacy & impact lives on. One of them is Eileen Theresa Stephens, a Vancouver writer, artist, & ME advocate whom our community lost in 2023.

I’m one of the featured artists for #BAMonth2025! Read on in the thread to enter to win some prizes and see more of my work

Artist spotlight: @berlin-buyers-club.bsky.social is an international art-activist collective founded by a small team of creatives after COVID made them chronically ill. They spend their limited energy seeking awareness, treatments & justice for #LongCovid, #MECFS & other neuro-immune diseases.

Today's the #May12th Awareness Day for #MECFS, #Fibro & other chronic neuro-immune diseases. Today we're grateful to the artists, advocates, orgs & community members joining us to raise awareness for these illnesses - and to everyone who works to transform awareness into action year round.

We're thrilled to welcome back multidisciplinary Saskatoon artist @liapas.bsky.social for #BAMonth2025! Lia was an active composer, performer & librettist until 2015, when she was disabled by #MECFS. Since then, she's focused on fibre arts & writing, with some small forays back into music.

Shop for a cause 🛍️ For #BAMonth2025, we're thrilled to unveil new additions to our merch collection, created by disabled & chronically ill artists. Check out all our designs from @christinabaltais.bsky.social, Rana, Toni Scott, & @sinistralscribe.bsky.social: operamariposa.redbubble.com

Did you know? During #BAMonth2025 we're raising funds & awareness for #fibromyalgia & related illnesses. Fibro is a common but often-misunderstood condition that affects many people (incl. members of our own team & community). Learn more from @mefmsocietyofbc.bsky.social: www.mefm.bc.ca/what-is-fm

You can win one of my Colette scarves and help advocacy for people w/ #MECFS, #LongCovid & #fibro Read on for all the info on how to enter!

Another feature about #BAMonth2025! Thank you to @stillcovidingca.bsky.social for spotlighting our online charity benefit & collab with @mefmsocietyofbc.bsky.social!

We're thrilled to welcome the support of @fancyfairyangela.bsky.social for our 2025 Benefit + Awareness Month! We're giving away a stunning silk habotai scarf featuring one of her signature wing designs - so you can bring a touch of Faerie with you wherever you go 🧚 prizedraw.operamariposa.com

As part of our #BAMonth2025, we're celebrating #BlueSunday2025, the worldwide tea party for ME. Join us Sun May 18 at 1 pm PT / 4 pm ET for an online community gathering hosted by @mefmsocietyofbc.bsky.social board member @sophiehharrison.bsky.social Learn more & RSVP: BlueSunday.OperaMariposa.com

Huge thanks to @longandmcquade.bsky.social, who are once again joining Opera Mariposa to support our Benefit + Awareness Month and @mefmsocietyofbc.bsky.social! We're giving away a $100 gift card to this Canadian-owned & operated music retailer. #EnterToWin til June 1: prizedraw.operamariposa.com

Did you know? Multiple Mariposa team members live with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (a.k.a. ME or ME/CFS), and we've been raising funds & awareness for ME and related illnesses since our company's inception. Learn more about #MECFS from @mefmsocietyofbc.csky.social: www.mefm.bc.ca/what-is-me-w...

May 5 is Red Dress Day, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Today is dedicated to honouring the thousands of lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people.

“Many of these #artists have worked across disciplines – as performers, composers, stage managers, makeup artists..we showcase their..creations..to reveal another facet of how our #community uses #art to raise our voices.”: buff.ly/lP9G9zB via @operamariposa.bsky.social #advocates

Our #BAMonth2025 is being featured in @broadwayworld.com! Read all about why we're teaming up with creatives across Canada and beyond to raising funds and awareness for complex chronic illnesses: www.broadwayworld.com/bwwopera/art... #ArtAsAdvocacy #MECFS #LongCovid #Fibromyalgia

Thank you to Richard Pinto Music for donating an online voice lesson to #BAMonth2025! Richard is a professional singer & music director who teaches all ages & styles of music, but specializes in R&B & pop. #EnterToWin til Jun 1 in support of @mefmsocietyofbc.bsky.social: prizedraw.operamariposa.com

We're thrilled to welcome back @christinabaltais.bsky.social for our 2025 Benefit + Awareness Month! Christina is a Toronto artist & advocate who draws on her experiences with #MECFS to create collage, photography, sculpture, makeup art and more.

Did you know? When you support #BAMonth2025, you're joining us to aid the rising number of people impacted by #MECFS, #LongCovid & #fibromyalgia. Many of Mariposa's team members have firsthand experience with these conditions - and with the pressing need for improved supports & awareness.

Today we're honouring the lives lost & all the people affected by the tragic events on April 26th at the Lapu Lapu Day festival. Our hearts are with the Filipino community & everyone who has been deeply impacted by this tragedy, on what was supposed to be a day of cultural & community celebration.

Our annual Benefit + Awareness Month is LIVE! May is the international awareness month for #MECFS & #fibro, & until June 1, you can join us at Benefit.OperaMariposa.com in support of the #ChronicIllness community & @mefmsocietyofbc.bsky.social 🦋 There are many ways to take part in #BAMonth2025...

Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the horrific violence at Vancouver’s Lapu Lapu festival - victims and loved ones, performers and arts workers, and every member of the Filipino community ❤️‍🩹

The Disability Screen Office (DSO) has launched the first national survey to capture experiences of the disability community in film & TV. Open through June 2025. Input helps develop a Best Practices Guide to Disability Engagement in the Canadian Film & Television Industry! www.dso-orphe.ca/survey/

Have you signed up for Mariposa’s (infrequent) e-newsletter? It’s a great way to make sure you don’t miss a thing - especially because we have some exciting news and projects in the works 👀 operamariposa.com/signup/ #MakingOperaAccessible