Making the City

This book tracks some of the important contributions of immigrant women in Toronto, their participation in grass roots organizing and community development. It connects grassroots work to larger social movements in Canada and the world. The story is told primarily through oral histories-the women telling their own stories-and weaving those stories into the larger multicoloured and richly textured fabrick of Toronto’s social history.

“As long-time allies of those fighting for social justice, the CAW is delighted to see this refreshing new collection. It pulls together the voices of immigrant women who’ve worked passionately for social change over three decades. These women and others like them have worked tirelessly on the frontlines to build a Toronto that we can all be proud of.”

— Canadian Auto Workers’ Union

“Remembering and writing one’s story is a political act. When one is a part of a marginalized group within society, remembering and writing one’s story is an act of resistance. This book is exactly that. Immigrant women’s stories are largely invisible in official history books. It is as if we don’t exist. By remembering and writing our stories we are disrupting this apparent non-existence. We are also creating new knowledge about ourselves, our ancestors and our children. As in all writing of stories, there are silences of those who are not here to tell their stories. In that sense, this is a work in progress. The book is an invaluable educational resource for future community workers, activists and educators.”

— Tania Das Gupta, York University

“Making the City celebrates the inspiring lives of immigrant women across our city. Reading through these stories, I am reminded of the many amazing women that I’ve been fortunate to work along-side through the years. We at Scotiabank congratulate WWCC on this book and on 35 years of incredible work.”

— Fulvia Cantarutti, Scotiabank