EDMONTON --
One hundred years ago, Edmonton elected its first female councillor, whose legacy remains unknown to many even a century later.
A project driven by the YWCA and Parity YEG hopes to shed some light on the trail Izena Ross blazed for past, current and future women leaders.
“About a year ago I was going to a Parity YEG event and thought, ‘Who was the first female councillor in Edmonton?’” Katherine O’Neill, YWCA CEO said.
“It seemed like a simple question, but when I Googled it there were no simple answers.”
That one Google search sparked a year-long hunt for information about Ross. It also inspired a project that will not only celebrate her service, but the service of the 30 other women who followed in Ross’s footsteps, O’Neill told CTV News Edmonton.