Celine Song

Celine Song (1988 -     )

Canadian director, playwright, and screenwriter based in New York City;

her directorial film debut Past Lives (2023) received critical acclaim and

she was nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay Oscars;

her latest film is Materialists (2025) which she wrote and directed.

Betsy Jochum

Betsy Jochum (1921 - 2025)

American outfielder and pitcher who played in the

All-American Girls Professional Baseball League

from 1943 through 1948;

a noted runner and batter, her nickname was "Sockum Jochum;"

after leaving baseball, she earned degrees in physical education

and taught girls high school physical education until her retirement in 1983.

Suzi Quatro

Suzi Quatro (1950 -     )

American singer, bass guitarist, songwriter, and actor;

starting in the mid-1960s, she has been a pioneer for women

in the male-dominated field of rock, hard rock, glam rock and pop rock;

had more musical career success in the UK and Australia than in the USA;

in the late 1970s, had a small recurring role as rocker Leather Tuscadero

on the popular American sitcom Happy Days;

she has released 15 studio albums (most recently in 2023),

10 compilation albums, and one live album.

Women in Love

Commitment Ceremony, New York City (1989)

photo by Kathy Shorr

Sarah E. Goode

Sarah E. Goode (1855 - 1905)

American entrepreneur and inventor;

one of the first African American women to receive

a United States patent, which she received in 1885

for her "cabinet bed," a precursor of the hide-away bed;

invaluable invention for working-class people living

in tiny urban apartments with no space for beds.

Judy Grahn

Judy Grahn (1940 -     )

American poet, author, and educator;

discharged from the United States Air Force in1961 for being lesbian,

she endured much homophobia and violence due to her butchness;

in the 1970s, became an active member of the Gay Women's Liberation Group,

the first lesbian-feminist collective on the west coast;

her groundbreaking and influential poetry is infused

with her lesbian-feminist identity, women's spirituality,

and often addresses racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia.

Flossie Wong-Staal

Flossie Wong-Staal (1946 - 2020)

Chinese-American virologist and molecular biologist;

first scientist to clone HIV and determine the function of its genes,

which was a major step in proving that HIV is the cause of AIDS;

her genetic mapping of the virus made it possible to develop HIV tests.

Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand (1942 -     )

American singer, actor, songwriter, producer, and director;

her six-decade career has brought her incredible success and

innumerable awards, most notably that she was the

first performer to ever earn an EGOT

(Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards);

longtime activist and philanthropist in many liberal causes.

Kalpana Chawla

Kalpana Chawla (1962 - 2003)

American astronaut and aerospace engineer;

first woman of South Asian origin to fly to space;

one of the seven crew members who died in the

Space Shuttle Columbia disaster;

posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor,

the NASA Space Flight Medal, and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.

Laufey

Laufey (1999 -     )

Icelandic singer-songwriter and musician;

classically trained as a cellist, her recording success

is based in jazz-inspired pop.

Mary Berg

Mary Berg (1989 -     )

Canadian television host, author and cook;

first woman to win MasterChef Canada (2016);

current host of daytime lifestyle talk show

on Canadian TV, The Good Stuff with Mary Berg.

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell Ndegeocello (1968 -     )

American singer-songwriter, poet, and bassist;

critically acclaimed throughout her musical career,

she has won three Grammy Awards;

her chosen surname means "free like a bird" in Swahili.

Alice Walker

Alice Walker (1944 -    )

American novelist, short story writer, poet, and social activist;

she is the first African-American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction,

awarded in 1982 for her novel The Color Purple;

a noted activist in a wide variety of causes, she is occasionally criticized

for controversial or unpopular views.

New Life In Bloom

Hazel Scott

Hazel Scott (1920 - 1981)

Trinidadian-American jazz and classical pianist and singer;

a child prodigy, she was trained at Julliard and

enjoyed an active and successful jazz career

throughout the 1930s and 1940s;

in 1950, she became the first black American to host her own TV show;

an outspoken critic of racial discrimination and segregation,

she was blacklisted during 1950s McCarthyism and

lived as an ex-pat in France for 10 years;

although she continued to perform occasionally in Europe

and in the United States, her career never recovered

and her talent fell into obscurity;

now being rediscovered via PBS's 2025 American Masters

documentary entitled The Disappearance of Miss Scott.

Dame Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren (1945 -     )

English actor of stage and screen;

her illustrious career has seen her star to great acclaim

in innumerable movies, television series, and plays;

the only performer to have achieved both the

American Triple Crown of Acting (an Academy Award,

an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award) and

the British Triple Crown of Acting (a British Academy Film Award,

British Academy Television Award, and a Laurence Olivier Award).

Nadia Murad

Nadia Murad (1993 -     )

Iraqi-born Yazidi human rights activist now based in Germany;

survivor of the 2014 Yazidi genocide in Iraq committed by

the transnational terrorist organization ISIS/Islamic State;

held in sexual slavery for 3 months before her escape and rescue;

founder of Nadia's Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to

helping heal and rebuild the lives of women and children

victimized by similar atrocities;

co-recipient of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for her work against 

the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.

Carole Lombard

Carole Lombard (1908 - 1942)

American actor, particularly noted for energetic,

off-beat roles in screwball comedies;

among the most commercially successful and admired

film personalities in Hollywood in the 1930s.

Madison Tevlin

Madison Tevlin (2001 -     )

Canadian actor, broadcaster, singer, model and public speaker;

she says having Down syndrome is the least interesting thing about her,

and being underestimated is her superpower.

Janaya Khan

Janaya Khan 

Canadian social activist, model, organizer and public speaker;

co-founder of Black Lives Matter Toronto and 

international ambassador for the Black Lives Matter Network;

much of their work analyzes intersectional topics including

the BLM movement, queer theory, Black feminism,

and organized protest strategies.

Woman With A Green Purse

Alice Paul

Alice Paul (1885 - 1977)

American Quaker, suffragette, suffragist, feminist, and women's rights activist;

one of the foremost leaders and strategists of the campaign for women's suffrage 

which was successful in 1920 with the passage of the 19th Amendment to

the United States Constitution prohibiting sex discrimination in the right to vote;

she then became a lawyer with several degrees and continued to fight

for women's rights for the rest of her life. 

Andie Macdowell

Andie Macdowell (1958 -     )

American actor and former fashion model;

longtime spokesperson for L'Oréal; 

best-known films include Sex, Lies, and Videotape,

Groundhog Day, and Four Weddings and a Funeral, 

Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath (1932-1963)

American poet and author credited with advancing the

genre of confessional poetry in Ariel, her collection of poems,

and The Bell Jar, her semi-autobiographical novel;

clinically depressed for most of her adult life, she died by

suicide following a tumultuous marriage and children with

the English poet Ted Hughes;

became a posthumous feminist icon as a "symbol of

blighted female genius" during her life in pre-feminist days;

posthumously awarded many literary prizes, including

the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.

Tamron Hall

Tamron Hall (1970 -     )

American broadcast journalist, television talk show host and author;

winner of 2 Daytime Emmies for her self-titled syndicated talk show

and a 2024 NAACP Image Award;

the 2004 death of her sister Renata has caused her to become an

anti-domestic violence activist.

Tegan and Sara Quin

Tegan and Sara Quin (1980 -     )

Twin sisters and Canadian indie pop duo;

singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists;

advocate for LGBTQ equality, music education,

literacy, and cancer research.

Alex Guarnaschelli

Alex Guarnaschelli (1969 -     )

American chef, executive chef,

cookbook author, and television personality;

winner of Iron Chef title (2012);

judge and hyper-competitive contestant on many

Food Network cooking shows.

Mary "Mama Stanley" Loewen

Mary "Mama Stanley" Loewen

Superfan of the Edmonton Oilers hockey club;

goes to every home game dressed as the Stanley Cup;

always ready to pose for a photo with other fans

and to cheer on the Oilers to victory.

Hannah John-Kamen

Hannah John-Kamen (1989 -     )

English actor of TV series and movies;

currently starring as Ava Starr/Ghost in

the Marvel superhero movie Thunderbolts*

Ada Blackjack

Ada Blackjack (1898 - 1983)

An Iñupiaq woman born and raised in Alaska, she was hired in 1921 as a cook and

seamstress of fur clothing and accompanied an Arctic expedition to an uninhabited

island in Siberia. All the men of the expedition died of hunger, scurvy or exposure.

Only Ada survived for 8 months in the harsh environment, alone except for

the expedition's cat, Victoria. She was rescued in 1923.

Isadora Duncan

Isadora Duncan (1877 - 1927)

American-born, later French and Soviet,

dancer, choreographer, and free spirit;

a pioneer of modern contemporary dance;

her innovative and distinctive dance style

emphasized free and natural movements, athleticism,

bare feet, loose tunics, and flowing scarves.

Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton

Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton (1926 - 1984)

American singer and songwriter of blues and R&B;

she was the first to record "Houndog" (1952) which was 

written for her and became her biggest hit;

she also wrote and recorded "Ball and Chain," later made famous

in the late 1960s by Janis Joplin;

because Thornton did not hold the copyright to her songs,

she made no royalties from other artists' recordings of them

which sold millions of copies, while she died penniless;

in 2024, she was posthumously inducted into the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the musical influence category.

Rupi Kaur

Rupi Kaur (1992 -     )

Indian-Canadian poet, illustrator, photographer, and author;

she rose to fame via Instagram;

her self-published debut poetry collection, Milk and Honey (2014),

was re-published by a mainstream publisher and

became an international blockbuster sensation.

Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett (1969 -     )

Australian actor[a] and producer;

star of stage and screen;

film roles include Elisabeth, Blue Jasmine,

Carol, and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy;

awards include 2 Oscars, 4 BAFTAs, 4 Golden Globes;

activist in environmental and humanitarian causes.

Judy Blume

Judy Blume (1938 -     )

American writer of children's, young adult, and adult fiction;

has published more than 26 novels including 

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (1970),

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972), Deenie (1973), and Blubber (1974);

one of the first YA authors to write about controversial topics like

masturbation, menstruation, teen sex, birth control, and death;

because of these mature themes, she is one of the most frequently

challenged authors of the 21st century.

Ayami Sato

Ayami Sato (1989 -     )

Japanese professional baseball pitcher;

a legend in women's international baseball, she is the

starting pitcher for Japan's women’s national baseball team,

which she has led to five World Cup medals;

currently playing pro ball in Canada with a men's team/league,

the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Intercounty Baseball League of southern Ontario;

she is the first female player to play professional baseball in Canada.

Tig Notaro

Tig Notaro (1971 -     )

American stand-up comedian, writer, radio contributor, and actor

known for her deadpan comedy;

most recently, a cast member of Star Trek: Discovery series (2019-2024);

breast cancer survivor following double mastectomy;

she and her wife are mothers to twin sons.

Consuelo Kanaga

Consuelo Kanaga (1894 - 1978)

American photographer and writer;

her speciality was artistic photographs of African-Americans;

her photos were often printed in progressive publications in the 1930s and1940s;

in the 1960s, she became very active in civil rights, taking part in and

photographing many demonstrations and marches; 

she has been called "one of America's most transcendent yet,

surprisingly, least-known photographers."

Consuelo Kanaga's best-known image is

"She Is a Tree of Life to Them" (1950)

as seen in yesterday's post on this blog.

Mother's Day

She Is a Tree of Life to Them (1950)

Photo by Consuelo Kanaga

This photo of an unnamed African American migrant field worker

and her children in the Deep South gained worldwide recognition,

as well as its title (from Proverbs 3:18), when Edward Steichen

selected it for his famous 1955 exhibition Family of Man 

at The Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Catherine O'Hara

Catherine O'Hara (1954 -     )

Canadian-American actress, comedian, and screenwriter;

adept at sketch comedy, improv and dramatic roles;

best known for SCTV, Home Alone films,

Beetlejuice films, and Schitt's Creek;

accolades include 2 Primetime Emmys, a Golden Globe,

and 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Pope Joan

Pope Joan (??? - 857)

The protagonist of a popular medieval legend, "Joannes Anglicus" was

a talented and learned English woman who disguised herself as a man,

rose through the hierarchy of the Catholic Church and was eventually

elected pope, serving for 2 years from 855-857;

her true sex was revealed when she gave birth during a papal procession;

she died immediately thereafter, either due to death in childbirth or

murder by enraged church officials;

her legend was widely believed for centuries,

but most modern scholars now regard it as fictional.

Anna Pavlova

Anna Pavlova (1881 - 1931)

Russian prima ballerina and principal artist of the

Imperial Russian Ballet and the Ballets Russes of Sergei Diaghilev;

most recognized for creating the role of The Dying Swan;

after forming her own ballet company, she was the first ballerina

to tour the world, including South America, India,

Mexico and Australia/New Zealand where the meringue-based dessert

named Pavlova was created in her honour.

Ugbad Abdi

Ugbad Abdi (1999 or 2000 -     )

Somali-American fashion model;

born in Somalia, raised in a Kenyan refugee camp and Iowa;

she models for every top fashion house and designer;

as a Muslim, she always wears a head covering or hijab while modeling;

this post's photo was taken at the recent Met Gala.

Alice Ball

Alice Ball (1892 - 1916)

African American chemist who developed

an effective treatment for leprosy;

the University of Hawaii's first female and first African American

recipient of a Master's degree, and chemistry professor;

following her untimely death at 24, her original work and

discoveries regarding leprosy treatment were appropriated by

a high-ranking male colleague and passed off as his own accomplishments;

the truth was not discovered by historians until the 1990s,

following which many honours were belatedly extended to her.