Breaking the Bias with Arts Commons Presents
“International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.
IWD has occurred for well over a century, with the first IWD gathering in 1911 supported by over a million people. Today, IWD belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. IWD is not country, group or organization specific.”
This year's theme for International Women’s Day is #BreakTheBias, supporting the dismantling of deliberate and unconscious biases perpetuated within our society towards women. Are you looking for some inspiration to smash that glass ceiling & fire up your inner advocate? Well we’ve got more than a few role models for you this season.
Kara Cooney
A professor of Egyptian Art and Architecture at UCLA, Dr. Kara Cooney is an internationally renowned and respected Egyptologist. With everything from a Discovery Channel series to multiple publications on the history of Egyptian Pharaohs under her belt, she's a prominent voice in the research community.
Presently, Dr. Cooney's research in coffin reuse (yes, you read that correctly!) has seen her travelling around the world to document more than 300 coffins, everywhere from Cairo to London, Paris, Berlin, and Vatican City.
Read more about Dr. Cooney in our latest blog post here, and see her live March 13 & 14 in the National Geographic Live presentation Kara Cooney: When Women Ruled the World.
Lea Salonga
She's a Philippines pop idol, a Disney princess, and a Tony Award-winning Broadway star. Her resume more than speaks for itself, but seeing Lea Salonga live is a special experience for any music fan. Making history as the first Asian actor to play Eponine in Les Misérables, her shows have sold out everywhere from the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles to the Sydney Opera House. Next? The Jack Singer Concert Hall at Arts Commons on April 8th.
Rae Wynn-Grant
Although now known as a dedicated wildlife ecologist, Rae Wynn-Grant had never taken a hike, pitched a tent, or seen a wild animal until life brought her to Kenya at age 20. Thus began her research into large carnivores and the problematic relationships with communities that border their territories, taking her from lions in Africa to North American black and grizzly bears. This April, she brings her findings to Calgary to show us how humans and carnivores can coexist peacefully.
Sue Foley
With JUNO and multiple Maples Blues awards to her name, Sue Foley is a powerhouse blues guitarist and vocalist. With the nickname "Ice Queen" as a silent nod to her Northern upbringing, the Texas-educated musician brings her versatile and electrifying style to the Engineered Air Theatre this April.
And the icing on the cake? Foley's latest album Pinky's Blues has been nominated for Blues Album of the Year at the 2022 JUNO Awards!
This is only the tip of the iceberg – the Canadian National Jazz Orchestra's premiere performance is led by multiple award-winning and world-renowned big band leader Christine Jensen; post-post-modern diva Meow Meow is heralded as “One of the Top Performers of the Year” by The New Yorker; and 2021 JUNO Award winner Crystal Shawanda brings her northern upbringing on the Wikwemikong reserve to her deep, grounded vocals this May. There is no shortage of women artists to look up to, and they're leading the charge to #BreakTheBias
Discover more inspiring performers by visiting our website, and learn more about how you can show solidarity this #IWD2022 by visiting www.internationalwomensday.com
