Equiflash Archive

March 8th is International Women's Day (IWD)! Today we recognize the immeasurable contributions of women live performance artists and continue to strive for gender equality. IWD is an excellent opportunity to reflect on how we can challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias, and seek out greater inclusion in the live performance industry. From grassroots advocacy to systemic change, we can all #EmbraceEquity.

To celebrate this year’s #IWD, we’ve invited Equity First Vice-President and Manitoba & Nunavut Councillor Donna Fletcher to share a few words:

“The Women of today are the thoughts of their mothers and grandmothers, embodied and made alive." – Matilda Joslyn Gage

From my elementary school music teacher, Grade Nine English teacher, first voice teacher and wonderful Winnipeg Theatre icon Evie Anderson, I have been inspired by strong, fierce and talented women. Women who held their hands out and willingly helped me to grow and rise. International Women’s Day is a celebration of all those who through their tenacity, humour, grace, inspiration, genius and kindness paved the way for all of us to step along the path they so brilliantly blazed. We stand on their shoulders, learn from their lessons and strive to create a more equitable, open and fair space for art. Bravo to all of you fabulous women in our wide CAEA community who create the work that will inspire those who follow!

Donna Fletcher
1st VP & Manitoba/Nunavut Councillor - Canadian Actors' Equity Association

Check out Concordia University’s Canadian Women Artists History Initiative, a collaborative endeavour that fosters and circulates scholarly research into women’s contributions to the cultural and material history of Canada here.