Our Commitments

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The Rise Up Feminist Archive seeks to be inclusive of those whose historic contributions to feminist activism in Canada have too often been marginalized or erased from the mainstream narrative. In particular, we strive to include materials representing the voices of Black, Indigenous, and Women of Colour; disabled women; immigrant women; and LGBTQ2S+ persons.

We understand, however, that our work takes place in a context of structural inequality, violence, and oppression and that Rise Up is not immune to these forces and their impacts. Rise Up is strongly committed to addressing racism and other forms of oppression in our archival collection, structures, membership, and practices. We realize that acting on this commitment requires both serious reflection and a meaningful plan for action.

As part of this process, we commit ourselves to significant outreach and collaboration, meaningful conversations and listening, and openness to criticism and change. We commit also to being open about the steps we are taking and our progress.

Solidarity Statement

Rise Up! acknowledges that our work takes place in a context of ongoing colonialism, racism, heteropatriarchy, class inequalities, ableism and other forms of structural violence and oppression.

The material included on this site documents resistance to these interlocking oppressions, as well as efforts to create alternatives to harmful social and economic structures. However, we are aware that our archive is incomplete and imperfect. A central goal is to fill these gaps, to highlight histories and voices pushed to the margins, and to do so in the spirit of solidarity and justice. Working with an archive is an engagement with the present just as much as it is with the past. As we undertake our work, we commit ourselves to learning from movements against colonialism and racism, and to engaging in conversations that advance the commitments articulated here.

Land Acknowledgement

Rise Up began, and continues much of its work, on the traditional and contemporary territory of the Wendat, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Anishinaabeg, including the Chippewas and the Mississaugas of the Credit. This territory is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty.

We recognize the enduring presence of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples on these lands and on all the lands on which our work, as a virtual organization and archive, takes place.

As a predominantly settler organization, Rise Up also acknowledges the importance of relationship-building and continual learning. We organize and work in solidarity with movements against colonialism and racism. We commit to highlighting histories of resistance against colonialism, racism and other forms of structural oppression, working collaboratively with others undertaking similar social justice projects, and engaging in ongoing efforts to build a more equitable, diverse and inclusive organization and archive. We recognize that this work is necessary, challenging, and never complete.

In the spirit of solidarity through learning and critical reflection, we invite our visitors to take some time to reflect on the land they work, learn, and organize on. Some useful resources to begin with can be found here:

https://native-land.ca

On Oppressive Language and Viewpoints

Rise Up! Feminist Digital Archive is actively committed to the digitization and preservation of all materials (texts, images, audio and visual recordings) related to every aspect of feminist activism in Canada from the 1970s to the 1990s. Our website also contains some material dated before 1970 and after 1999, as well as interviews conducted in the present or recent past.

We fully acknowledge that some of our historical materials contain language or express opinions that are or may be considered offensive and unacceptable not only by today’s standards of an inclusive ethics but also by those of the past. Certain items contain explicitly violent–including sexually violent–content that may create discomfort or trigger trauma in some readers and/or viewers.            

Given our mandate to preserve the historical record, we have not deleted, revised or otherwise censored the oppressive language, terminology, imagery, or viewpoints articulated or implied in any items. Doing so would amount to an erasure of this history. Like other archives, we note the importance of including material that contains oppressive content because such material has historical value, and enables an examination of the darker, and often neglected or less-explored, chapters in history. 

Following the premise that one can use items of intolerance and oppression to teach respect and acceptance, Rise Up! also intends to create opportunities for dialogue and critical reflection of materials in our archive that contain discriminatory or hateful language or imagery. We recognize the need to engage in such examinations in a concrete and ongoing way.