2. A Canadian educational
reformer and founder of
the national association of
the YWCA. After her infant
son died from drinking
impure milk she devoted
herself to the betterment
of education for new
mothers and became the
president of YW CA
Hamilton
3. A physicist and chemist of
Polish upbringing and
French citizenship. Currie
was a pioneer in the field of
radioactivity and the first
person ever awarded two
Nobel Prizes. She was also
the first female professor at
the University of Paris.
4. Leader of the National
League for
Democracy in Burma
and a noted prisoner
of conscience and
advocate of
nonviolent resistance.
Suu Kayi was awarded
the Nobel Peace Prize
in 1991 . She has been
held under house
arrest for a number of
years by the Junta
dictatorship in Burma.
5. Never Bend your head.
Hold it high.
Look the world straight in the
eye.
- Hellen Keller
6. An American journalist, social
activist and founder of the
Catholic Worker movement.
Beginning in 1933 the Catholic
Worker movement espoused
nonviolence and provided
hospitality for the impoverished.
Day became known for her social
justice campaigns in the defense
of the poor, forsaken, hungry
and homeless.
7. American author,
feminist, and social
activist. Her writing has
primarily focused on
the interconnectivity of
race, class and gender
and their ability to
further systems of
oppression and
domination. She has
published over thirty
books.
8. Canadian feminist, politician and
social activist. It was largely
through her efforts that in 1916
Manitoba became the first province
to give women the right to vote
and run for public office- the
government of Canada followed
suit that same year. McClung
championed dental and medical
care for school children, married
women’s property rights, mothers’
allowances and factory safety
legislation amongst other reforms.
9. A famous Mexican painter who
used vivid colours and a style that
was influenced by the indigenous
cultures of Mexico. Her work, not
largely popular before her death,
became well known when the
artistic movement Neomexicanismo
began. This movement recognized
the values of contemporary
Mexican culture.
10. Feminism- I myself have never known
what feminism is. I only know that
people call me a feminist whenever I
express sentiments that
differentiate me from a doormat or
a prostitute.
- Rebecca West
11. Barbara Byers was first
elected Executive Vice-
President of the Canadian
Labour Congress in 2002 after
more than a decade as
President of the
Saskatchewan Federation of
Labour. Her 17 years with the
Saskatchewan Social Services
brought Sister Byers face-to-
face with issues that remain at
the centre of labour’s agenda
– workers’ rights; poverty;
Aboriginal concerns; youth
unemployment; and justice for
equality-seeking groups.
12. Politician, activist and first
female Chief of Norway
House Cree Nation and the
first female chief in the
Manitoba First Nations
community. She was also
the first female First
Nations member appointed
as a magistrate.
13. A Jewish girl born in
Germany. Anne Frank
gained international fame
after her death following the
publication of her diary
which documents her
experiences hiding during
the German occupation of
the Netherlands during
World War II. Noted for her
bravery and humour in dire
circumstance, Frank’s diary
has been read and adored
by millions.
14. An American abolitionist and
women’s rights activist. Truth
was born into slavery in New
York and was made famous by
her 1851 speech “Ain’t I a
Woman?” She was freed from
slavery in 1826 with her infant
daughter, although she had to
leave her other children
behind as they could not be
emancipated until they served
as bound servants into their
twenties.
15. If you can’t change your fate,
Change your attitude
- Amy Tan
16. An Indigenous Guatemalan, of
the Quiche-Maya ethnic group.
She has dedicated her life the
improving the plight of
Guatemala’s indigenous
peoples both during and after
the civil war. She is the
recipient of a Nobel Peace
Prize and is the UNESCO
Goodwill Ambassador. She has
also been a fundamental actor
in the women’s peace
movement.
17. An Albanian Roman Catholic nun
with Indian citizenship, Mother
Teresa founded the Missionaries of
Charity in Calcutta India in 1950 . For
more than 45 years she cared for the
sick, poor, orphaned and the dying.
She was awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize in 1979 . At the time of her
death in 1997 the Missionaries of
Charity had expanded to include 610
missions in 123 countries including
hospices for people with HIV/AIDS,
tuberculosis, soup kitchens,
orphanages and schools.
18. American marine biologist
and nature writer. Best known
for her environmental
advocacy, Carson wrote
“Silent Spring” in 1962. This
book is credited with alerting
the world about the problems
caused by synthetic
pesticides. Her work is noted
to have spurred a reversal in
national pesticide policy,
leading to a national ban on
DDT and other pesticides.
19. American author and activist.
Alongside her husband,
Martin Luther King Jr., Scott
King was a prominent leader
in the Civil Rights movement.
After Martin Luther King Jr’s
assination, Scott King was
responsible for finding a new
Civil Rights movement
leader, and eventually took
on the leadership role
herself. She remained an
important voice in American
politics until her death in
2006.
20. There are no short cuts to any
place worth going
- Beverly Sills
21. Somali born model and women’s
rights activist, Waris fled Somalia
after her father gave her in
marriage to a 61 year old man in
exchange for 5 camels. Dirie is
best known for her work with the
United Nations as the Special
Ambassador for the Elimination
of Female Genital Mutilation.
Dirie wrote the book “Desert
Flower” about her investigation of
female genital mutilation in
Europe.
22. Kenyan born environmental and
political activist. In 2004 she
became the first African woman to
receive the Nobel Peace Prize for
her contribution to sustainable
development, democracy and
peace. Maathai was an elected
member of the Kenyan parliament
and served as the Assistant Minister
for Environment and Natural
Resources. She also founded the
Green Belt Movement, a grassroots
organization that has planted over
40 million trees in Kenya.
23. African American civil rights
activist. On December 1, 1955 in
Montgomery Alabama, Parks,
age 42, refused to obey bus
driver James Blake’s order that
she give up her seat to make
space for a white passenger.
This action sparked the
Montgomery Bus Boycott and
became a symbol of the modern
civil rights movement and Parks
is recognized as an international
icon of resistance to racial
segregation.
24. A Native American activist,
suffragist, abolitionist and
freethinker, Gage was born
into a house dedicated to anti-
slavery. Later, her home with
her husband would become a
station of the underground
railroad. Gage was also a
prominent figure in the
women’s rights movement and
was an outspoken advocate
on the rights of Native
Peoples.
25. Executive Vice-President,
Canadian Labour Congress-
Marie Clarke Walker was first
elected Executive Vice-President
of the Canadian Labour Congress
in 2002. She is the youngest
person and first woman of colour
to hold a top CLC leadership
position. She’s now serving a 2nd
three-year term.
26. Mexican born not only left her
mark on Spanish-American
literature but whose cry of revolt
over their inferior position of
women is timely even today. A
self-taught Novohispana scholar
she is considered a writer and the
precursor to later Mexican
literature. She wrote about
women’s rights and believed
strongly that women should be
free to seek education in
whatsoever they desired.
27. Prepared by Caitlin MacLennan
For more information or to use this slide show please
call
905-522-9922x 117
or email cmaclennan@ywcahamilton.org
