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March 8th is International Women’s Day! This day is a global celebration of the accomplishments of women in social, economic, political and cultural spheres. It is dedicated to recognizing women's achievements and acknowledging the challenges they continue to face in the quest for gender equality.

This past year, we’ve seen women continue to make an incredible impact on the world through politics. In 2018, a new class of US lawmakers, containing a record breaking number of women, was sworn in. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest woman elected to US Congress at 29 years old.

As we discuss the role of women in politics, Women Win Toronto will be hosting two workshops in March; this organization is dedicated to training prepare women from diverse backgrounds on how to run winning campaigns. Join us for a discussion and find out more about how women can get more involved in municipal politics in Toronto, and the important impact it makes! Sessions will be taking place on March 28th from 6:30-7:30pm at Lillian H. Smith branch and on March 30th from 2:00-3:00pm at Deer Park branch.

We continue to witness women across Canada, and around the world, coming together in solidarity through movements like #MeToo, and mobilizing through organized marches. Join us for “It’s Time: Addressing Sexual Violence in Political Institutions” at Runnymede branch, a workshop that will be lead by the Young Women’s Leadership Network.

Women continue to breakthrough and make strides in the literary world. Learn how female cartoonists have played a role in the phenomenal success of graphic novels at the Graphic Girls: Female Cartoonists Remake the World of Comics presentation on Wednesday, March 20th at 6:30pm, by Associate Professor Eva Karpinski at Northern District branch. Eva Karpinski will also be discussing Dystopian novels at the Bloor/Gladstone branch on Thursday, March 14th at 7pm.

For other great programs taking place in recognition of International Women’s Day, check out our event listing! If you’d like a great suggestion for a fiction book that dives into the complex lives of female characters in historical and contemporary setting, check out our She Reads book list or this blog post, Happy Women's History Month 2019.