08/01/2026
Happy Emancipation Day!
❓Why Was Slavery Abolished?
❓In Ukraine: War or Genocide?
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The image features Viola Desmond with the backdrop of Russian attacks against civilians in Ukraine.
What connects these two moments in history?
Viola Desmond's courageous stand in 1946 and Ukraine's fight today are both struggles for the fundamental right to exist with dignity and equality.
Less than 100 years ago—more than a century after slavery had been abolished in Canada—Viola Desmond refused to leave her main-floor seat at the Roseland Theatre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, on November 8, 1946.
Because of racial segregation, Viola was expected to sit in the balcony. Even when she explained that she couldn’t see from far and offered to pay the difference for a main-floor ticket, theatre staff refused. She was arrested simply for refusing to accept unequal treatment.
Viola Desmond did not seek fame or recognition. She did not fight to become the first Black person and the first non-royal woman featured on a Canadian banknote.
She fought because, like every human being, she deserved to be treated with dignity and respect.
If it can still be difficult for women to be treated equally today, imagine the obstacles she faced as a Black woman in Canada 🇨🇦 in 1946?
🇺🇦Ukraine's struggle echoes that same determination.
Many expected Ukraine to surrender, yet Ukrainians continue to defend their country's right to exist.
Like the courageous Viola Desmond, Ukraine does not ask for pity—it asks for solidarity, meaningful support, and justice.
Stand against racism! Stand with Ukraine!
