Background: October is Women’s History Month in Canada, and we’re spotlighting The 52: Stories of Women Who Transformed Toronto, Myseum’s multi-year project celebrating the myriad of ways women have contributed to various facets of Toronto’s vibrant past, present, and future. Since women currently make up 52% of Toronto’s population, this project highlights 52 women who have left their mark on civic life, politics, science & technology, and arts & culture. These women were selected based on 5 categories which include impact, breaking ground, courage, diversity, and representation.
Below are profiles of five of the selected 52, retrieved from Meet the 52:
Jill Andrew: Member of Provincial Parliament, Community Organizer, and Body Image Advocate
In 2018, Jill Andrew made history as the first Black queer person elected as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto-St. Paul’s. She serves as the Culture Critic, Heritage Critic, and Women’s Issues Critic for the Official Opposition and co-founded the Ontario NDP Ontario Black Caucus – the first of its kind in the province. Outside of politics, Andrew co-founded Body Confidence Canada and is an award-winning educator and advocate for equity, human rights, and body-image. She is a community co-owner of Glad Day Bookshop, the world’s oldest LGBT bookstore, as well as an avid volunteer and donor – supporting organizations across the GTA that prioritize Black and racialized communities, youth, women, the arts, 2SLGBTQ+ communities, and chronic health advocacy. Andrew’s dedication and leadership continue to shape a more just and inclusive city for all.
Columbia “Coco” Diaz: Community Organizer for Domestic Workers and Caregivers
Born in the Philippines, Columbia Diaz immigrated to Toronto in 1980 to work as a nanny and quickly became a fierce advocate for caregivers’ and domestic workers’ rights in Canada. From the early years of INTERCEDE for the Rights of Domestic Workers, Caregivers, and Newcomers, she played an integral role until its closure. Diaz was a founding member of the Caregiver Connections, Education, and Support Organization (CCESO), a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to educating and supporting newcomers and caregivers.
Diaz’s unwavering advocacy and dedication have empowered care workers and shaped government policies to protect the rights of caregivers and domestic workers.
Cathy Crowe: Nurse and Healthcare Activist
Cathy Crowe’s entire career has been nursing for social justice particularly in homelessness since 1988, earning her the nickname “Street Nurse.” Her work has influenced public policy victories through coalitions and advocacy initiatives. In 1998 she co-founded the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee (TDRC), which declared homelessness a National Disaster. A documentary film on her work titled Street Nurse has had a major impact on nursing education in Canada. Honoured with the Order of Canada in 2018, Crowe’s authorship and public speaking highlight the urgent need for affordable housing and accessible healthcare. Having given up her nursing license in 2022 to protest government policies, Crowe persists in raising awareness and action against homelessness and healthcare inequities.
Jane Jacobs: Urbanist, Author, and Activist
In the 1960s, Jane Jacobs staunchly opposed urban renewal projects that threatened historic neighbourhoods, championing community-led urban planning. Her groundbreaking book, “The Death and Life of Great American Cities,” challenged conventional wisdom and promoted vibrant, mixed-use neighbourhoods. In 1968, Jacobs and her family moved to Toronto in opposition to the Vietnam War. In the early 1970s, she played a leading role in the Stop Spadina Campaign, preventing the construction of a major highway through lively Toronto neighbourhoods. Jacobs’ lasting impact on Toronto can be seen in its thriving neighbourhoods, pedestrian-friendly streets, and grassroots engagement – solidifying her status as a pioneer in urban revitalization and a champion of livable cities.
Josephine Mandamin: Anishinabek Nation Chief Water Commissioner and Water Rights Advocate
Josephine Mandamin, also known as “Grandmother Water Walker” and Biidaasige-ba (”the one who comes with the light”), was an environmental activist from Wikwemikong First Nation. From 2003 to 2017, she walked around the Great Lakes, raising awareness about water pollution and environmental degradation in the region and on Indigenous reserves. Inspired by her Ojibwe spiritual worldview, which honoured water as a living being, Mandamin’s activism earned her the Anishinabek Lifetime Achievement Award (2012) and the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Cross (2018). As a woman, elder, “lifegiver,” and “water-keeper,” Mandamin felt a sacred duty to pass on her water knowledge (nibi giikendaaswin) to present and future generations, leaving a lasting legacy of inspiring others to protect and preserve water resources.
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As part of The 52 project, Myseum commissioned twenty-four of Toronto’s playwrights to write monologues to bring the stories of these transformational women to life. The 52 was launched as a participatory performance at Nuit Blanche Toronto 2023 where audience members were invited to step into the shoes of the 52 and perform excerpts of these monologues.
To learn more about this project, including a nomination process to help Myseum document & preserve the legacies of Toronto’s transformational women, sign up for their newsletter, or follow them on social media @ Myseum of Toronto on all platforms.