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What's New

The 2023 Annual Hurtig Lecture "Alberta in the World" was given by Katherine Govier, The Shoe Project founder

University of Alberta
Edmonton AB
October 5, 2023

Katherine Govier,

"I’m a returning Albertan. Although I've lived in Washington, Toronto and London, I return to Alberta every summer and Christmas. During these visits, I bring back with me thoughts about how Alberta is perceived and how it engages with the world. I’ll talk about that and more."

KGovier11

17th Annual Hurtig Lecture 2023. Katherine Govier: Alberta in the World

CBC Listen: Edmonton-born novelist returning home to look into the future

Impact StoryFebruary 17, 2023

Women's powerful stories take centre stage this March

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Impact StoryFebruary 1, 2023

Ukrainian woman among performers as The Shoe Project takes the stage in Windsor

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Impact StoryNovember 4, 2022

Canada’s Top Litigator Marie Henein donates her own designer shoes to The Shoe Project to help newcomer women

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What We're Doing NowNovember 4, 2022

Online Auction-Women of stature giving up their heels to The Shoe Project to help newcomer women

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Impact StoryAugust 24, 2022

The Shoe Project Provides Precious Moments of Healing

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What We're Doing NowJune 22, 2022

Why I am a Monthly Donor – Danielle McLaughlin

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What We're Doing NowJune 17, 2022

Working with stranded Afghan women to tell their stories provides unparalleled insights

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Impact StoryMay 25, 2022

Why a Participant of The Shoe Project became a Mentor

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Video StoriesApril 5, 2022

From Tehran to Calgary

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Impact StoryMarch 18, 2022

How a confusing voicemail message led to a life changing workshop

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Impact StoryMarch 18, 2022

From Robotics to the Arts – How The Shoe Project led one newcomer woman to a new path

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What We're Doing NowFebruary 10, 2022

The Shoe Project's Annual Report 2021

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What We're Doing NowJanuary 17, 2022

The Shoe Project Rebuilding Immigrant Women’s Lives

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Impact StoryJanuary 17, 2022

The Shoe Project Survey Study Shows Major Positive Impacts on Participants

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What We're Doing NowJanuary 5, 2022

The Shoe Project announces first international workshop to assist Afghan girls stranded in Pakistan

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Video StoriesNovember 25, 2021

In The Flow

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What We're Doing NowSeptember 28, 2021

IN THEIR SHOES: The Shoe Project launches Afghan Fund

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What We're Doing NowSeptember 17, 2021

Are you an immigrant or refugee woman with a story to tell?

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Impact StoryJuly 9, 2021

Saima S. Hussain, “Interrupting a Conversation about Islamophobia”

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Impact StoryJune 23, 2021

In Memory of Aaron Berhane

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What We're Doing NowJune 17, 2021

The Shoe Project Shorts: Immigration Stories Told on Film

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesApril 24, 2021

Teenaz Javat, Mississauga ON

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Impact StoryApril 9, 2021

Joy Kogawa, “It Feels a Bit Like Déjà vu, Anti-Asian sentiment"

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Impact StoryMarch 25, 2021

Grandma Therapy

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesDecember 15, 2020

Sanaa Al-khannaq Calgary AB

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesNovember 23, 2020

Venera Loshaj-Balaj, Surrey BC

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesNovember 19, 2020

Himanshi Upadhyay, Vancouver BC

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesNovember 17, 2020

Zeynep Ergun, Calgary AB

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesNovember 16, 2020

Nelli Antepli, Calgary AB

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesNovember 15, 2020

Manisha Shrestha, Canmore AB

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What We're Doing NowNovember 8, 2020

2020 Giller Prize Winner Souvankham Thammavongsa

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What We're Doing NowNovember 3, 2020

Ava Homa, "Minority Writers Have to Work Thrice as Hard"

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesNovember 2, 2020

Ngozi Onyinye, Edmonton AB

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesNovember 1, 2020

Gurpreet Nain, Toronto ON

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Impact StoryOctober 10, 2020

Women's Courage Can Change the World

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What We're Doing NowAugust 18, 2020

Caroline Adderson, "I consider the novel a work of imagination based on fact."

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesAugust 5, 2020

Levia Ququezana, Calgary AB

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Video StoriesJuly 30, 2020

A Happy Birthday

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Impact StoryJuly 28, 2020

No Safe Haven from Racism

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Video StoriesJuly 26, 2020

Little Shoes

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Video StoriesJuly 15, 2020

The Only Friends I Had

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Video StoriesJuly 12, 2020

My Shoes Left Behind

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Video StoriesJuly 10, 2020

My Brown Bata Slippers

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesJuly 2, 2020

Seran Celik, Calgary AB

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesJune 28, 2020

Noriko Ohsada, Canmore AB

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Video StoriesJune 23, 2020

My Mother and Grandmother Walk with Me

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Video StoriesJune 19, 2020

In Salmon’s Shoes

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesJune 15, 2020

Natalia Mokhovikova, Richmond BC

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Video StoriesJune 10, 2020

Beneath the Surface

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Video StoriesJune 4, 2020

Heels in My Life

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesJune 2, 2020

Teenaz Javat, Mississauga ON

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesMay 15, 2020

Tenzin Palzom, Banff AB

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What We're Doing NowMay 11, 2020

The book by Tanaz Bhathena has been awarded the 2019 Nautilus Gold Award.

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesMay 10, 2020

Mariana Barron, Banff, AB

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesMay 3, 2020

Dana Roman, Canmore, AB

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesMay 3, 2020

Umut Duygu Uzunel, Toronto, ON

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesApril 28, 2020

Cordelia Tang, Toronto, ON

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesApril 28, 2020

Sinthia Zaman, Calgary AB

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesApril 28, 2020

Shaima Jaff, Vancouver BC

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What We're Doing NowApril 24, 2020

New Chapter in Edmonton

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What We're Doing NowApril 20, 2020

The Shoe Project Shorts

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COVID Across Canada: Short TakesApril 14, 2020

Rhoda Akuol Philip, Toronto ON

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Latest News from The Shoe Project

Hello all,

It has been nine months since we streamlined the structure of The Shoe Project in order to make it sustainable.  

As promised, the last cycle financed under TSP’s charitable number was held in Kingston, Ontario on Saturday, September 30 at the Kingston WritersFest. We are now able to share that The Shoe Project is in “deep talks” with the one of Canada’s largest and oldest women-focused, social justice organizations as a possible new home for The Shoe Project. The members of this federated model are currently formally considering the adoption of The Shoe Project and this could result in The Shoe Project finding a permanent and sustainable new home across 9 provinces and 2 territories, reaching over 600 local communities!  Out of respect for the collaborative, voting process between the National Team and their Membership, we will not name the organization just yet, but the fit is excellent and we hope to release and confirm this next exciting chapter for The Shoe Project in early 2024.

  Board Chair: Nick Rundall

Directors: Barb Howard

Marian Botsford Fraser

Valeri Jamga Tchatchua

Founder and Director Emerita: Katherine Govier

Read All Stories on The Shoe Project Stories Website!

The Shoe Project Turns 12 Years Old:

Our Journey Together

The Shoe Project holds writing workshops where Canadian writers exchange skills with newcomer women, enabling them to share their stories of arrival in and adaptation to Canada -- through a pair of shoes.

Photography

Our Program

Many newcomer women are professionals and leaders in their original countries but need to work on their writing and speaking skills in English to attain similar roles in Canada.

katherine-govier

Our Shoes, Our Stories

Every woman has a special pair of shoes in her life. For those who embark on the long journey to a new life in a new country, her choice of shoes is not only vital -- it is also a powerful metaphor for that journey.

Get a front row seat at a performance and listen to our stories.

Maggie Duan

China, The sneakers that brought me down to earth

Let’s share more stories. Together.

The Shoe Project was launched in Toronto in 2011. Since then, we have added chapters to Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax, Edmonton, Canmore, Windsor, Brampton, and Winnipeg, and are now a registered charity. We are committed to providing a truly national platform for the voices of immigrant and refugee women.