Book launch gives young people in London students insight into local women who shaped London’s future
Students in London ranging from Grade 6 to 8 will get a unique insight into the lives of London’s first female mayor, Jane Bigelow, and 17 other London women who helped shape the local community with the launch of the book Voices of Change: London Women of the Second Wave, 1960-1985.
The book, written by Dr. Jean Hewitt, is a project of the London Women’s History Group. Voices of Change highlights the accomplishments of local women in challenging, changing, and influencing the social, political, educational, and physical environments of London and beyond. 
“Our goal in creating this book is to provide young women in our community with local role models,” said Dr. Hewitt. “Through the diverse stories, we want girls to be able to find a bit of themselves and to believe that they too can have a positive impact in their community and our world. It is an attractive alternative to the pop and reality star role models that so many of them are exposed to on a daily basis.”
The book was created for London and area schools and libraries and is geared towards students in grades 6-8. The project was made possible through generous funding from TD Canada Trust, the London Heritage Foundation, and private donors.
The book tells the story of 18 local women and the role that they played in shaping our community and lives. “These women established shelters, challenged promotional policies, working conditions, and won women the right to keep their jobs when they were pregnant; they were the first women to enter the trades, to become police officers, to be school principals, deans of faculties, judges and, as a result, have forever changed the fabric of our community and our country,” Hewitt stated.
Each chapter tells one woman’s story about growing up and her influences, passions, motivations, setbacks, and achievements. Among many others, the book includes chapters on Jane Bigelow; Carol Johnston, the woman who established the London Children’s Museum; Janet Stewart who has been a role-model for women in the legal profession and established Big Sisters of London; and Barbara Antone, who established Indigenous Studies programs in elementary schools and helped form numerous programs through the Ministry of Education in order to aid the awareness and tolerance of these Indigenous communities throughout Canada and London. “This event will be a celebration of the phenomenal accomplishments of local women and a time to figuratively ‘pass the torch’ to a new generation of leaders,” said Hewitt.
We would like to thank our supporters of the Voices of Change Book:
The London Heritage Council
TD Canada Trust
A huge debt of gratitude is owed to all the women in this book, and many others who are not a part of the book, who agreed to talk about their lives and accomplishments. Your determination, courage, and energy have forever changed our community and country. We are eternally grateful!