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.

Chita Rivera

Chita Rivera (1933 - 2024)

American actor, singer, and dancer;

originator of Broadway leading roles in West Side Story,

Chicago, and Kiss of the Spider Woman;

winner of two Tony awards for Best Actress in a Musical

as well as a Tony for Lifetime Achievement (2018);

the first Latino American to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2009).

Pat Parker

Pat Parker (1944-1989)

African American poet and activist;

her poetry and activism both drew from her experiences

as a Black lesbian feminist and also encompassed

reproductive rights, civil rights, anti-racism and

the struggle against domestic violence.

Tilda Swinton

Tilda Swinton (1960 -     )

British actor known for playing eccentric and enigmatic characters;

her notable movies include Caravaggio, Orlando,

We Need to Talk About Kevin, and Only Lovers Left Alive;

winner of Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in Michael Clayton (2007).

[photo by Fabrice Dall'Anese]

Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson (1966 -     )

American singer, songwriter, actor, and dancer;

recipient of many awards, including five Grammies;

inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2019);

currently finishing up a concert residency in Las Vegas.

Amal Clooney

Amal Clooney (1978 -     )

British international human rights lawyer and

adjunct law professor at Columbia Law School;

has also worked with the United Nations

and the Government of the United Kingdom;

co-founder and co-chair of the Clooney Foundation for Justice

which provides free legal aid in defence of free speech

and women’s rights in over 40 countries.