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riseupfeminist.bsky.social
Rise Up! Feminist Archive
@riseupfeminist.bsky.social
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Rise Up! is a digital archive of feminist activism in Canada from the 1970s to the 1990s. Visit us at riseupfeministarchive.ca
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We're gearing up to celebrate Rise Up's 10th Anniversary!🎈
10 Years of Rise Up, 40 Years of Feminist History" is written on a graphic with red-tinted trapezoids overtop a collage of archival images and illustrations. The rise up logo, a stylized fist within the women's symbol, is depicted in the graphic's centre.
November 21, 2025 at 11:27 PM
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Looking for a film to watch this weekend? 📽

Check out the documentary "Long Time Comin'" (1993), directed by poet and novelist Dionne Brand with Studio D/National Film Board of Canada.
November 15, 2025 at 1:22 AM
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In her essay "Running for Gold," Abby Hoffman testifies to the conditions faced by women athletes and confronts damaging myths that continue to keep women out of sports. This essay was published in the September 1976 issue of the Winnipeg Women's Liberation Newsletter.🥇
Black and white image of a woman athlete jumping over a hurdle. Clips from the article are superimposed over this background: "Abby Hoffman's Running For Gold" and "Is national policy to ignore women?" In the bottom righthand corner of the graphic are the Rise Up! logo and riseupfeministarchive.ca in white. More clipped quotes from Running for Gold, layered over a grainy black and white background. In the bottom righthand corner of the graphic are the Rise Up! logo and riseupfeministarchive.ca in white.
November 11, 2025 at 5:41 PM
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Today marks the 58th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
Graphic with pale blue background. White circular button with blue horizontal borders and blue outlined text reads: "Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission." In white text on a grey bar, "riseupfeministarchive.ca" is written in the bottom right alongside the Rise Up logo.
November 7, 2025 at 8:23 PM
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We recently uploaded another issue of the Calgary Women's Newspaper!🗞
This graphic depicts the front yellow-tinted cover page of the Calgary Women's Newspaper from September 1979. Included on the cover is "Calgary Women's Newspaper" written in capitals at the top right above an image of a man mimicking being pregnant accompanying small text that reads "Would you be more careful if it was you that got pregnant?" In the background, a faded-out dark background with text is visible. At the bottom of the graphic, a black banner is displayed with "riseupfeministarchive.ca" and the Rise Up logo depicted in white. This graphic depicts page 3 of the Calgary Women's Newspaper Volume 5, Number 9, September 1979 edition. Three headlines dominate the page: "NAC News," ASWAC Shorts," and "First Alberta Women Appointed to Senate." In the background, a faded-out dark background with text is visible. At the bottom of the graphic, a black banner is displayed with "riseupfeministarchive.ca" and the Rise Up logo depicted in white.
November 6, 2025 at 8:01 PM
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This program was created for the Congress of Black Women of Canada’s (CBWC) First Annual Celebration for Black Women Who Have Made a Difference—Past and Present, held in 1992. The event celebrated the social, political, and cultural contributions of Black women across Nova Scotia.
The program features a black-and-white image of a woman’s face at the center of the page, with one side partially obscured by shadow. Above, black text on a white background reads "First Annual Celebration for Black Women Who Have Made a Difference Past and Present, sponsored by the Preston/Cherry Brook/Lake Loon/Westphal & Area Chapter." To the left, the CBWC logo appears in black and white, depicting a hand reaching toward a globe and encircled in red. The bottom right corner of the graphic has the Rise Up! logo and URL "riseupfeministarchive.ca" in white, on top of a semi-transparent black background
November 3, 2025 at 7:07 PM
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Happy Halloween from Rise Up!🎃

This spooky image appeared on the cover of the St. John's Status of Women Council (SJWC) Newsletter in November 1984.🧙‍♀️
The graphic appears on a grey background featuring a wooden bushel with leaves falling out of the top of it. An image of a women in a witches hat and cape with a jack-o'- lantern hovering in the right upper corner appears on the body of the wooden bushel. A white Rise Up! logo and URL riseupfeministarchive.ca are located in bottom left hand corner of the graphic.
October 31, 2025 at 5:57 PM
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This article and button appear in the Wages for Housework Campaign Bulletin (Vol. 1, No. 3, Spring 1977), which chronicled a national campaign centred around the principle that women should be paid for performing the socially necessary labour of housework and childcare.
A pink circular button featuring the Wages for Housework campaign logo. The background of the post is an excerpt from the Wages for Housework Campaign Bulletin which reads "Hustling For a Wage". Alongside the text is a black ink illustration of a woman with curly hair in a tightly-fitting dress. The bottom right corner of the graphic has the Rise Up! logo in red and URL "riseupfeministarchive.ca" in white.
October 28, 2025 at 4:55 PM
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To celebrate Women’s History Month in Canada, we are highlighting the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)/le Syndicat des travailleurs et travailleuses des postes (STTP) and its role in bargaining for women’s equality.
Pictured on a rose-tinted background are three images: a yellow page of a CUPW flyer; a picture of a pink CUPW button that reads "Women make the union strong"; and a white page of a CUPW pamphlet. Along the bottom of the post, "riseupfeministarchiva.ca" is written in white, followed by the Rise Up logo: a raised fist stylized within the women's symbol. A light-blue page of one ofthe CUPW pamphlets is featured encased in a dark frame. Underneath this is a dark box with the follow text written in white on top: "Films: A Struggle to Remember: Fighting for our Families; Justice and Dignity for All: Stories From the Struggle for Pay Equity." Along the bottom of the post, "riseupfeministarchiva.ca" is written in white, followed by the Rise Up logo: a raised fist stylized within the women's symbol.
October 24, 2025 at 5:28 PM
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This past Saturday, October 18, was National Persons Day in Canada. This day marked the 96th anniversary of the 1929 legal amendment that included select groups of women in the legislative definition of "persons".
Red poster with yellow and brown checkered border featuring silhouettes of women. Yellow, primary text reads: "In 1929 women were legally declared "persons." We now want to be portrayed with dignity as the persons we are." White and red text to the left of the poster reads: "October 18 is Persons Day". In white text on a red bar, "riseupfeministarchive.ca" is written in the bottom right alongside the Rise Up logo.
October 22, 2025 at 4:40 PM
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Jump into the "rebellious feminist and socialist writing" of Marie-Géographie, a feminist publication based in Québec City that ran from 1984-87.📘
A cover of Marie-Géographie, featuring a photo of an activist sitting in a wheel-chair adorned with the sign "femme avant tout" [women first]. Her back is to the camera but she is turning around to smile. The cover's titles and masthead appear in cherry-red font and the photo, layered underneath them, is tinted blue. The Rise Up logo and riseupfeministarchive.ca are in the bottom right hand corner of the graphic in white font. Two issues of Marie-Géographie, one with a bright red cover, and one with a burgundy cover. The issues are layered over a low-opacity page of the magazine--some paragraphs of text and part of a graphic depicting a family are visible. The Rise Up logo and riseupfeministarchive.ca are in the bottom right hand corner of the graphic in white font.
October 17, 2025 at 6:17 PM
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Did you know that the Rise Up archive contains over 440 photographs?📸

Our extensive selection of images portrays significant moments in Canadian feminist activism, such as the Abortion Rights Rally outside the Morgentaler Clinic in Toronto in 1983 or the Rally Against Free Trade in Ottawa in 1993.
Positioned in the middle of an all-red graphic is an image depicting participants at the Abortion Rights Rally outside the Morgentaler Clinic in Toronto in 1983. Two participants hold signs on sticks that read: "Won't Wait" and "Never Again." Small-font white text written underneath the image reads: "Abortion Rights Rally outside Morgentaler Clinic (Toronto, 1983)." In the graphic's top-left corner, the following text is written: "Material Type:" in white text and "Photographs" in bolded white text underneath. In the bottom-right corner is the Rise Up logo: a raised fist stylized within the women's symbol. Positioned in the middle of an all-red graphic is an image depicting participants of International Ladies' Garment Workers Union at the Rally Against Fair Trade in Ottawa, 1993. Small-font white text written underneath the image reads: "International Ladies' Garment Workers Union at the Rally Against Free Trade (Ottawa, 1993)." In the graphic's top-left corner, the following text is written: "Material Type:" in white text and "Photographs" in bolded white text underneath. In the bottom-right corner is the Rise Up logo: a raised fist stylized within the women's symbol. Positioned in the middle of an all-red graphic is an image depicting a member of the Montreal Health Press writing in a book in an office. Small-font white text written underneath the image reads: "Member of the Montreal Health Press/Les presses de la santé." In the graphic's top-left corner, the following text is written: "Material Type:" in white text and "Photographs" in bolded white text underneath. In the bottom-right corner is the Rise Up logo: a raised fist stylized within the women's symbol. Positioned in the middle of an all-red graphic is an image depicting participants at an Abortion Caravan event en route to Ottawa in 1970. Small-font white text written underneath the image reads: "Participants at an Abortion Caravan event (1970)." In the graphic's top-left corner, the following text is written: "Material Type:" in white text and "Photographs" in bolded white text underneath. In the bottom-right corner is the Rise Up logo: a raised fist stylized within the women's symbol.
October 15, 2025 at 4:15 PM
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Congratulations to Judy Darcy, a former National President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), who recently published her memoir, Leading from the Heart: The Battles of a Feminist, Union Leader and Politician.📚
In the centre of the post is a white campaign button with "Judy" written in magenta, followed underneath by "Darcy" written in navy. Behind, in the post's background, are collaged archival materials related to Judy Darcy that are tinted slightly purple. A purple banner runs across the bottom of the post with "riseupfeministarchive.ca" written in white in the bottom-right corner, followed by the Rise Up logo: a raised fist stylized within the women's symbol.
October 10, 2025 at 8:19 PM
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New additions to the archive!🗃✨

We recently uploaded issues of the Action Day Care Newsletter, a publication produced by the Ontario-based organization, Action Day Care.
Displayed is a beige-coloured front page of the April/May 1981 Action Day Care Newsletter, featuring a cartoon of a young boy and his dog as the central image. Text at the top of the front page reads: "Action Day Care Newsletter" in capitals, followed by "April/May 1981" in capitals. Text at the bottom of the front page reads: "a Bouvier on every block?!??" The newsletter front page is positioned on top of a grey-tinted page of text. "riseupfeministarchive.ca" is written in white in the bottom-right corner of the graphic, followed by the Rise Up! logo: a raised fist stylized within the women's symbol. Displayed is the yellow-tinted front page of the February 1982 Action Day Care Newsletter. "Action Daycare" is written in lettering that resembles children's letter blocks, with an illustration of a child holding up the "N" block. An article titled "Where We're Going" is featured on the front page. In the post's background is a grey-tinted page of text. "riseupfeministarchive.ca" is written in white in the bottom-right corner of the graphic, followed by the Rise Up! logo: a raised fist stylized within the women's symbol. Displayed is a yellow-coloured page from the Action Day Care Newsletter with an article titled "Daycare Coalition of Metro Toronto VICTORY" featured on the front. Underneath this text is a cartoon featuring a worker and a fly. The graphic's background is a grey-tinted page of text taken from the newsletter. "riseupfeministarchive.ca" is written in white in the bottom-right corner of the graphic, followed by the Rise Up! logo: a raised fist stylized within the women's symbol. Portrayed is the yellow-coloured front page of the Summer 1984 edition of the Action Day Care Newsletter. "Action Day Care Newsletter" is written in black font along the right side of the page. On the left side is a graphic of two figure cut-outs. Underneath, "Election Issue," is written in capitals. Underneath that text, a cartoon is depicted. The background is a tinted-grey page of text. "riseupfeministarchive.ca" is written in white in the bottom-right corner of the graphic, followed by the Rise Up! logo: a raised fist stylized within the women's symbol.
October 8, 2025 at 6:05 PM
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To celebrate the start of 2SLGBTQIA+ History Month, we are spotlighting this poster advertising a lesbian dance at Hazeldean Hall, featured in the February 1984 issue of Womonspace News.✨
A black and white print of a woman dancing, with stars interspersed around the poster. The bottom right corner features the word "dance" in bold lettering. The poster includes details about the lesbian dance, and is framed by a black border. The bottom right corner of the graphic has the Rise Up! logo and URL "riseupfeministarchive.ca" in white.
October 3, 2025 at 5:20 PM
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This past Friday, September 26th, marked the final day of the Kanehsatà:ke Resistance in 1990.

This button was created for the 1991 International Women’s Day March in reference to the 1990-91 Gulf War and the Kanehsatà:ke Resistance in Oka—connecting international issues with local struggles.
A square button in black, orange, and white reads “Oka to the Gulf. Make the links.” The background of the post displays two photos: the top one shows a grassy field with tents, to the right, 5 Indigenous flags on flag posts are flying; the bottom photo is taken from further away and shows the same field with tents, and three banners, one of which reads “Solidarité avec les Mohawks.” The bottom right corner of the graphic has the Rise Up! logo and URL "riseupfeministarchive.ca" in white.
October 1, 2025 at 4:51 PM
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For World Contraception Day, we are highlighting The Birth Control Handbook, first published in 1968 by the McGill Students’ Society. Created during a time of limited sexual education, this handbook provided detailed illustrations and explanations that were not readily available at the time.
On the left, the cover of the Birth Control Handbook shows two people lying in bed, with a feminist fist-and-serpent symbol at the bottom. To the right, a smaller photo depicts activists advocating for abortion rights, one holding a megaphone. Below, another image shows contraceptive foam and an applicator, alongside an egg for scale. The background has faint outlines of contraceptive devices.The bottom right corner of the graphic has the Rise Up! logo and URL "riseupfeministarchive.ca" in white, on top of a semi-transparent black background.
September 26, 2025 at 8:24 PM
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We have a new feature article on the website! 📣

In "Feminist Art and the Spaces That House It," Rhianna Grove discusses the role of feminist art spaces and artist collectives in promoting, generating, and presenting women artists whose work was often marginalized.
The post features a red-tinted collaged background composed of various artworks and film stills. White text enclosed with burgundy reads: "Feminist Art and the Spaces That House It", "By Rhianna Grove", "riseupfeministarchive.ca", followed by the Rise Up logo; a raised fist stylized within the women's symbol.
September 25, 2025 at 11:35 PM
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🎥 Studio D, the women’s unit of the National Film Board of Canada, was the world’s first publicly funded feminist filmmaking studio. From 1974 to 1996, it released more than 140 groundbreaking films, including three Academy Award winners.
A photo of a yellow whistle promoting 20 years of Studio D with the slogan "D is for DARE" in bold red and black text. "riseupfeministarchive.ca" and the Rise Up logo are at the bottom of the graphic. The photo on top depicts Adrienne Rich and Dionne Brand conversing in the Studio D film, Listening for Something. The photo below depicts Beverly Shaffer filming Natalie van Dine for the Studio D film, Je Trouverai un Moyen.
September 22, 2025 at 9:14 PM
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Today is the annual Take Back the Night march! This 1993 poster, printed by Press Gang Printers, promoted Vancouver’s rally organized by Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter with the Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres.
Today is the annual Take Back the Night march! This 1993 poster, printed by Press Gang Printers, promoted Vancouver’s rally organized by Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter with the Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres. Since the 1970s, feminist organizations around the world have organized Take Back the Night marches and vigils to protest and bring an end to gender-based violence. View the poster: bit.ly/take-back-the-night-poster Explore more material: bit.ly/take-back-the-night ID: A black and white poster promoting Take Back the Night 1993 at the Vancouver Art Gallery. The poster features a collage of photos of people, including a march of women holding a sign that reads "Women are Everywhere." The bottom right corner of the graphic has the Rise Up! logo and URL "riseupfeministarchive.ca" in white.
September 19, 2025 at 3:31 PM
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In 1975, members of the Líl'wat First Nation erected a blockade at Mount Currie to defend their hereditary fishing and hunting grounds against incursions from Federal Fisheries Officers and local settlers.
Off-white poster with the words MOUNT CURRIE ROAD BLOCK in handwritten lettering, and two black and white photos of women and children from the Líl'wat First Nation at the blockade. In one of the photos, a young child and their mother are being removed from the blockade by two RCMP officers. Off-white poster featuring a description of the Mount Currie Blockade, including a list of ten demands and the efforts of the government and corporations to shut down the blockade.
September 15, 2025 at 4:56 PM
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Directed by Sylvia Hamilton and Claire Prieto and produced by the National Film Board of Canada, Black Mother, Black Daughter (1989) traces the experiences of enslaved women and Black Loyalist settlers in Nova Scotia, highlighting the roots and resilience of Black communities in the province.
The background is an older picture of five black women posing for a portrait. In the center of the picture are the words Black Mother Black Daughter, the name of the film. The bottom right corner of the graphic has the Rise Up! logo and URL "riseupfeministarchive.ca" in white.
September 12, 2025 at 6:51 PM
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Pictured here is the poster for the First Latin American Women’s Encounter held in Toronto in 1995. The event was part of a series of Latin American “Encounters” that strengthened transnational feminist networks throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, and their diasporas.
The poster features three women's faces, a yellow sun in the top right corner, and a red illustration of Latin America in the centre, with the words Primer Encuentro de Mujeres Lationamericanas Toronto - Ontario 1995. The URL riseupfeministarchive.ca and a white Rise Up logo are in the bottom right of the graphic.
September 8, 2025 at 2:56 PM
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By promoting infant formula as a symbol of modernity, Nestlé persuaded mothers in Africa to abandon breastfeeding, resulting in the deaths of newborns. This article from Vol. 4, No. 5 of The Other Woman (1976) highlights how colonialism and racism shaped these predatory marketing campaigns.
August 26, 2025 at 2:40 PM
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In April 1985, 3,000 members of the Canadian Air Line Employees’ Association (CALEA)—two-thirds of them women—walked out on strike against Air Canada, protesting management’s plan to cut full-time jobs by expanding part-time positions, slash starting wages, and block transfers between departments.
The graphic contains a black and white image with four women in the centre of the image holding picket signs. The signs say ACETA (CTC) en grève Air Canada" and "CALEA (CLC) on strike Air Canada." A white Rise Up! logo and URL riseupfeministarchive.ca are located in bottom left hand corner of the graphic.
August 18, 2025 at 6:20 PM