The Shoe Project MEDIA ADVISORY
Ukrainian woman among performers as The Shoe Project takes the stage in Windsor
WINDSOR (Feb 1, 2023) — On February 26th, ten Windsor-area women, originally from Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, China, Sudan and Nigeria will share their stories of immigration and adaptation to Canada – through a pair of shoes.
Shoes are a part of our journeys and speak to who we are—shoes for work, shoes for play, sometimes shoes for sheer survival. Karyna Nikashyna will be telling her story of her escape from Ukraine after the invasion by Russia. “The war came to my home and I decided to leave everything I had and go to Canada on my own. I escaped with one pair of shoes and a suitcase,” said Nikashyna.
The performance is a culmination of a ten-week workshop cycle where the women were instructed in writing by author Heidi L.M. Jacobs and voice-coached by theatre educator Alice Nelson. Now in its 12th year, The Shoe Project holds performances across the country.
“The women’s stories are inspiring and powerful,” says Cordelia Tang, Executive Director and an alumna of The Shoe Project. “The courage they demonstrate in overcoming obstacles to create new lives often brings our audiences to tears.”
The Shoe Project Presents: Taking New Steps (Windsor) is on Sunday, February 26 at 2pm at the Capitol Theatre. Tickets are on a Pay-What-You-Can basis. The Shoe Project is funded by the generosity of donors.
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
For interviews with Windsor participant Karyna Nikashyna or Executive Director Cordelia Tang, please contact: Rhonda Risebrough
About The Shoe Project
For the past eleven years, The Shoe Project has been changing the way Canadians see immigrant and refugee women, through stories and performances. Every journey begins with a pair of shoes. Our alumnae of 300 women from 62 countries credit The Shoe Project with changing their lives, giving them the skills, confidence and support to succeed in a new country. Many take on leadership roles in the community. Led by professional Canadian writers and theatre artists, our workshops and performances lift the voices of women immigrants and refugees into Canada’s national conversation.
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