I'd like to share about one incredible woman here today: the late Léa Roback (1903-2000) - at around 90 pounds and approximately 5'2", Léa was a feisty defender of women's and human rights, a pillar of strength and beauty, a charismatic, loving and well-loved figure of strong womanhood.
Born in Beauport, Quebec (Canada) in a Jewish family - surrounded by a Catholic-only community - Léa grew up in both Beauport and Montreal, Quebec. As a young multilingual woman, she travelled and worked in the United States and Europe as well as Canada. She was in Germany in the 1930s, when Nazism was rising, horrifyingly. She organized women in factories in Montreal, to create unions and better working conditions for women. Léa never married, at a time when that was almost unheard of, except for women joining a religious order. And she always believed in education and life-long learning, a way for women and marginalized populations to overcome barriers and become empowered. During the Cold War, Léa became involved in the movement for disarmament and peace. She always worked to overcome structures of sexism, racism and homophobia, wherever she was.
I had the incredible good fortune to know Léa personally. I met her when I was a young woman, new to activism, new to feminist advocacy. She was a long-time activist in the group I joined at the age of 22 - at 82, Léa was 60 years older than I was. It didn't take long for me to come to love Léa, and I was so lucky to have that affection returned by her, who never had children of her own but loved youth and children.
We passed out pamphlets together in front of grocery stores, asking people not to buy products which had anything to do with South Africa, still under the regime of apartheid at the time. We leafletted together in December outside of department stores, against war toys - it was during the Cold War... We marched, we participated in demonstrations and conferences. Léa was always there - and her solidarity and human affection were contagious; everyone around her felt special and important when with Léa. I remember once marching downtown during an anti-racism rally - a police officer in my city had just killed a young black man and he wasn't getting sanctioned for that murder. As we walked through the downtown area, where lots of homeless youth hang out, Léa left the marchers to go talk to a couple of young people watching the march, sporting mohawks and body piercings. She asked them how they were, and invited them to join us in the march, saying that their participation was important too. That discrimination against one group of people was discrimination against all (they joined us in the march!). Not only did Léa not discriminate, she actually preferred to be among ordinary people, no matter their age, gender, attire, or anything - rather than "the suits" (politicians or big business) who were making decisions which hurt people and communities. And yet, on a personal level, when Léa spoke with politicians or other decision-makers, she was always respectful, ever-welcoming and human in her approach. She spoke her mind, often bitterly and straight to the point, especially when denouncing social injustices (one of our fellow activists always said Léa had a "piss-and-vinegar" approach), but she always remained respectful towards people as fellow human beings with their own struggles in life.
When Léa and I were out and about, doing different activities, she always took the time to recognize and really "see" the people around her, from waitresses to bus drivers. She always had a kind word, a listening ear and an open heart - and people felt that.
The media too! At demonstrations or marches, wherever we were, it didn't take long for the media to spot this tiny, feisty, warm, white-haired lady who spoke her mind without hesitation. Léa stood out! She didn't seek attention, she was just being herself - and her "self" shone.
After her passing, I told her nephew and neice that I would be proud if I could be one-quarter the person that Léa Roback was. They seemed quite moved by that. And I meant it, I truly mean it! Léa is my biggest hero, and I will always love and remember her, in my life as a woman and as an activist. I wish to be like her. If more people were like Léa, this world would be a better place.
You can learn more about Léa's life by checking out the website of the
Léa Roback Foundation, the purpose of which is "to promote education as a means of personal and collective fulfilment and emancipation, as well as to promote universal access to education for women." The Foundation was set up in Léa's honour for her 90th birthday, by people who loved and admired her and knew of her commitment to education as a source of empowerment, especially for women. On this page of the Foundation's website, you will find links to more information about Léa, including: a video made about her life, Des lumières dans la grande noirceur (A Vision in the Darkness, eng.) and a book of interviews with Léa and another great Quebec feminist, peace activist and trade unionist: Madeleine Parent.
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