The 52: Stories of Women Who Transformed Toronto
52% of Torontonians are women. It's time we tell their
Image: Myseum of Toronto.
As the first woman to win a car race in Canadian history, Diana Carter was destined to trailblaze her way through a career at the top of Canadian race car driving.
1937 - 2020 | Race Car Driver
Diana Carter etched her name in history as the first woman to win a car race in Canada. She emerged as the nation’s top female race car driver – also thriving in the male-dominated racing world of the 1960s. Carter’s exceptional talent led to three consecutive Coupes des Dames victories from 1963 to 1965, conquering one of North America’s most challenging rallies. In a groundbreaking feat, she also secured the CDRA Touring Class Championship in 1963, making her the first woman to achieve such a milestone.
Carter’s impressive achievements paved the way for women in motorsports and changed the landscape of Canadian race car driving.
Explore more women who transformed Toronto.
Explore More
Content
The 52: Stories of Women Who Transformed Toronto
52% of Torontonians are women. It's time we tell their stories.
Marcus Garvey and the UNIA
Learn how --
Winners & Losers
Sports Histories of Toronto
Meet The 52
Explore the full list of 52 remarkable women that make up the foundation of our multi-year project.
Bianca Andreescu
Bianca Andreescu has raised the global profile of tennis for Canadians. As one of the youngest winners of a Grand Slam singles title, Andreescu is the highest-ranked Canadian in Women’s
Beatrice Worsley
Beatrice Worsley is recognized as Canada’s first female computer scientist. Her lifetime of research and work in the field were at the forefront of Canada’s burgeoning computer science sector.
Menaka Thakkar
Menaka Thakkar established Canada’s first professional Indian dance company in 1978. Thakkar blended different cultural dance styles to co-create a performance called “East Meets West” in which she bridged cultural
Kathleen Taylor
Kathleen Taylor breaks ground no matter what industry she stands in. An accomplished business leader, her career continues to break barriers and light the way for women at major corporate
Emily Stowe
Emily Stowe was a founder of the Canadian Women’s Suffrage Association and the first female physician to publicly practice medicine in Ontario.
Min Sook Lee
Min Sook Lee is an industry-recognized filmmaker who advocates for social justice at the intersection of art and social change through her films and professorship at OCAD University.