The Impact of Inclusive Storytelling in Entertainment In the quest for inclusive storytelling, it’s crucial to recognize that diversity in the entertainment industry extends beyond gender alone. True representation encompasses a tapestry of identities, including those of racialized women, trans individuals, non-binary talents, and more. This holistic approach ensures that narratives authentically capture the richness and complexity of the human experience. A Mosaic of Identities The success of groundbreaking works like “Orange Is the New Black” and “Pose” exemplifies the industry’s evolvi ..read more

It's Black History Month And The Women’s Centre of Calgary Resource Centre Team wants to share with you some important information and resources specific to Black people in Mohkinstsis (Blackfoot for ‘Calgary’) and Kanata (Huron-Iroquois name/origins for the word ‘Canada’) today and throughout the duration of Black History Month.  Content Warning: Mention of Enslavement and Segregation Black History: Resistance and Liberation Resources and access to resources for Black people have been historically limited and intentionally withheld, leading to ongoing resource scarcity. Concurrent ..read more

Our Drop-In Hours are Changing at the Women's Centre Starting February 1, 2024 the Women’s Centre of Calgary will be adjusting its drop-in program hours to serve our community better. NEW Drop-In Schedule: Monday to Thursday: 11 A.M. – 4 P.M.; Friday: 9:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M. This adjustment is in response to the growing demand for our drop-in program, placing strain on our staff and volunteers. We believe this change will help us better meet your needs while fostering a stronger sense of community. What are the Women’s Centre drop-in programs? Basic needs support like monthly hygiene it ..read more

Witchcraft and Womanhood: Historical Misogyny and the "Evil" Woman From Revered Healer to Fearsome Wretch The witch stands as a powerful figure that appears in nearly every culture across the world. Once recognized as medicine healers, witches now conjure popular imageries of aging, ugly women who have vested powers in dark magic and trickster potions. The witch is depicted as evil and scornful, repressed and isolated, and must be contained by all means necessary. Between the 14th and 17th centuries, witch hunts spanned across early Europe and North American colonies. They were used to targ ..read more

October is Women’s History Month in Canada. Women’s History Month is a powerful opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge the significant contributions of women and gender-diverse people across the world. Throughout history, women and gender-diverse people have always defied expectations, pushed boundaries, and created impactful change for generations to come. This reading list highlights books written by women and gender-diverse authors for women and gender-diverse people. Fiction Pachinko by Min Jin Lee  Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo   The Last Queen by Chitra ..read more

The Northwest Territories evacuation order for Yellowknife and British Columbia’s declared provincewide state of emergency are the latest additions to Canada’s record-breaking reports on wildfire devastation. With over 13.4 million hectares of land burned, the severity of Canadian wildfires is undoubtedly a result of climate change. Rising greenhouse gas emissions and global temperatures have led to extreme heat and dry conditions, creating an extraordinary scale of wildfire disaster.   What does this mean for women and gender-diverse people? How does climate change relate to gen ..read more

Today marks the final day of Election Season at the Women’s Centre, (Election Day)! Throughout the month of May, we interacted with hundreds of women and learned about their top election issues, shared how and where to vote, discussed party platforms, watched the debate, engaged our youth in the importance of voting, partnered with Elections Alberta and CIWA to host information sessions, equipped the city with door-knocking conversation starters, and even walked together to cast our ballots during advanced voting week (with a cheeky ice cream treat from Village Ice Cream to top it off)! It is ..read more

May is Election Season at the Women's Centre. On May 29, Albertans will head to the polls to choose our next provincial government. The Women’s Centre firmly believes that each and every community member has the potential to influence change on the issues they care about by exercising their right to vote, or to stay informed! This year in particular, we are excited that the two leading parties have strong women at the helm. Women’s representation in political leadership is a key lever of societal equity, inclusion and gender-justice – what we work towards at the Women’s Centre every day! T ..read more

Tansi! Danielle Elizabeth Piper nitsiyihkason. I am a multimedia artist and graduate of the Alberta University of the Arts, where I majored in Drawing and was awarded my B.F.A. with Distinction in May 2020. In 2022, I received the Indigenous Artist Award at the Calgary Legacy Leaders in Art Awards by Calgary Arts Development. Though a lifelong resident of Mohkinst’sis, I am a band member of Cold Lake First Nations and am of nehiyaw, Métis, and denesuline ancestry. My artistic practice... is rooted in traditional craft techniques and articulated in a mixture of nêhiyawêwin⁠—my ancestral l ..read more

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and deepened inequities in our society, especially for women with intersecting social identities and experiences (such as race, Indigeneity, disability, immigration status, gender identity and income status). As we look towards recovery, how do we ensure that in the future, wealth, work and care responsibilities are more fairly distributed and that everyone can engage in society on more equitable and just terms? With funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE), the Women’s Centre has embarked on a multi-year project to engage diverse women i ..read more