Brand-New Initiative from the Canadian Women’s March Organizers to Increase Visual Representation of Women in Public Spaces Across Canada
March On Canada Partners with #CompletingTheStory for National Social Media Campaign
For Immediate Release
March On Canada has partnered with the grassroots initiative Completing The Story to ensure women are appropriately recognized in public places in Canada. You cannot be it if you cannot see it, therefore it is invaluable throughout our communities that we have visual representations of local women leaders. Perhaps in formal roles with recognizable names, or unsung community leaders, these women have been critical in building our communities. As many embark on celebrating Canada’s 150th, it is imperative that the stories of the women who built this country be recognized.
Completing the Story began as a grassroots initiative in Edmonton in 2016 when a group of women came together with the same frustration: the lack of visual representation of women in public areas. It has led to meetings with elected representatives, other women’s initiatives, and a social media presence encouraging people to post examples of representation – or the lack thereof.
March On Canada is made up of the Canadian Women’s March organizers. It was formed in February 2017 by a coalition of organizers responsible for leading the Canadian Women’s March in cities and towns across Canada who saw the need for a uniquely Canadian and grassroots movement. March On Canada is the continuation of the work from January 21, 2017, when a worldwide, grassroots movement came together to advocate for and uphold equality, diversity, and inclusion.
Paula Kirman, a March organizer with the March On Edmonton Collective became involved with Completing the Story and brought it to the attention of March On’s National Network.“The need for women to be visually represented in public spaces is a national concern. My fellow Sister March Organizers in other cities are reaching out to encourage people to observe, post, and act when it comes to recognizing women in leadership in a visual way. Leadership goes beyond people in elected office. It also includes community leaders in a variety of roles.”
March On Canada is asking people from coast to coast to coast to post photos to social media accounts of statues, plaques, murals, memorials, schools, street names, etc. – where women’s representation is missing with the hashtag: #CompletingTheStory. Photos and descriptions will be shared with Completing The Story in order to assemble a cross-Canadian account of how women are represented in public spaces.
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