{"id":4070,"date":"2024-07-29T17:00:51","date_gmt":"2024-07-29T21:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/?p=4070"},"modified":"2024-12-05T09:42:57","modified_gmt":"2024-12-05T14:42:57","slug":"sally-armstrong-toronto-journalist-and-human-rights-advocate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/eternal\/sally-armstrong-toronto-journalist-and-human-rights-advocate-4070","title":{"rendered":"Sally Armstrong: Toronto Journalist and Human Rights Advocate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Sally Armstrong is a celebrated journalist, human rights advocate, documentary filmmaker, educator, editor, and author. Born in Montreal, Quebec, in 1943, Armstrong earned her Bachelor of Education from McGill University in 1966 and later completed her master\u2019s thesis at the University of Toronto. Her thesis, \u201cLack of Access: A Feminist Critique of International Documents Pertaining to Adolescent Girls&#8217; Access to Medical Care and Their Impact on Young Women in Afghanistan and Canada,\u201d reflects her lifelong commitment to advocacy. More about her career, accolades, and contributions to Canadian culture and development on <a href=\"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/\">toronto1.one<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2e1b5d5d0d5\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2e1b5d5d0d5\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/eternal\/sally-armstrong-toronto-journalist-and-human-rights-advocate-4070\/#Career_and_Contributions_of_Sally_Armstrong\" >Career and Contributions of Sally Armstrong<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/eternal\/sally-armstrong-toronto-journalist-and-human-rights-advocate-4070\/#Armstrong_as_a_Human_Rights_Advocate_Veiled_Threat\" >Armstrong as a Human Rights Advocate: Veiled Threat<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/eternal\/sally-armstrong-toronto-journalist-and-human-rights-advocate-4070\/#The_Novel_The_Nine_Lives_of_Charlotte_Taylor\" >The Novel The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/eternal\/sally-armstrong-toronto-journalist-and-human-rights-advocate-4070\/#Awards_and_Recognition\" >Awards and Recognition<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Career_and_Contributions_of_Sally_Armstrong\"><\/span>Career and Contributions of Sally Armstrong<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Armstrong began her career as a physical education teacher in a high school, where she co-founded Canadian Living magazine. In 1988, she became editor-in-chief of Homemakers magazine, a role she held until 1999. As of 2024, she serves as an editor for Maclean\u2019s and Chatelaine. Alongside countless articles and public lectures, Armstrong has authored four books: Mila (a biography of Mila Mulroney, 1992), Veiled Threat: The Hidden Power of the Women of Afghanistan (nonfiction, 2002), The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor (fiction, 2007), and Bitter Roots, Tender Shoots: The Uncertain Fate of Afghanistan&#8217;s Women (nonfiction, 2008).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Armstrong_as_a_Human_Rights_Advocate_Veiled_Threat\"><\/span>Armstrong as a Human Rights Advocate: Veiled Threat<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Sally Armstrong is best known for her work as a journalist and human rights advocate. She has brought international attention to the political and cultural struggles of women and children in conflict zones such as Bosnia, Somalia, and Rwanda. Her primary focus, however, has been on the lives of women and girls in Afghanistan during the Taliban\u2019s extremist rule (1996\u20132001) and during the ongoing efforts to rebuild the nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.toronto1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2024\/12\/ad_4nxel1m_pnukfvtiagfvwgqhi657cmgevybu52znz5md0lpnmupznwda5vbhymaqhtvbh-ge_sbmff5v146ifhytge5baralvjmsm9oal1asrt8uhdyqpifji4pyhpbk2au8uw8wl6wkeyxof5uym9pkqc0apf1lumypvf.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Her bestselling book, Veiled Threat (2002), underscores Armstrong\u2019s belief in the power of collective action to enact meaningful change. The book expands on her groundbreaking 1997 article in Homemakers magazine, which shed light on the dire situation of Afghan women under Taliban rule. The article spurred thousands of Canadians to voice their concerns, drawing attention to a crisis the international community largely ignored. Veiled Threat documents the oppressive conditions women faced and highlights courageous activists such as Dr. Sima Samar, a renowned women\u2019s rights advocate and Afghanistan\u2019s former Deputy Prime Minister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In her subsequent <a href=\"https:\/\/torontoski.info\/uk\/eternal-1978-pro-rodynu-ta-filmografiyu-niv-adriann-kempbell\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">documentary<\/a>, Bitter Roots, Tender Shoots (2008), Armstrong returned to Afghanistan to evaluate progress following the Taliban\u2019s fall. Her outspoken advocacy drew criticism from Afghan fundamentalists, who accused her of cultural interference. Armstrong dismissed such accusations, stating that silence equates to complicity, and emphasized the necessity of speaking out for change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Novel_The_Nine_Lives_of_Charlotte_Taylor\"><\/span>The Novel The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As both an activist and journalist, Armstrong\u2019s work often focuses on the women and girls most affected by political and military decisions. This storytelling ability extends to her fiction. In 2007, Armstrong published her sole novel, The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor, a blend of historical narrative and fiction chronicling the life of Charlotte Taylor, one of New Brunswick\u2019s earliest settlers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Armstrong, a direct descendant of Charlotte Taylor, combined archival facts with creative storytelling to craft a comprehensive narrative. She notes that her fictionalized approach was necessary to fill historical gaps and believes her ancestors would have encouraged her imaginative liberties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.toronto1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2024\/12\/ad_4nxdfymm7_ayxcvtxzyvgbu_f6_vmtbgcw9la7zxss-mo7nwwqnwgazwe5yit4qq8ctnrxleiyaxkfojkjkkq9owpuufel5gahuc0jv-9zd6sbn2zbw-4_1cmxhace2_ewt2bkhaqwgkeyxof5uym9pkqc0apf1lumypvf.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The novel reflects themes parallel to Armstrong\u2019s nonfiction, particularly her focus on women defying societal and cultural norms. Armstrong writes that Charlotte\u2019s story resonated with the same themes she explored in her articles over two decades: women challenging cultural and religious constraints to seek emancipation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.toronto1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2024\/12\/ad_4nxfzepcs_bfqnpvzlywp6jd-xghccsnqq3yox3barbfxntw8v5lgh54betj-pxo3kp2mfbb_i4ra7e5zd9q4_juni8ji_483z4mfl_dkyrvxg1gnyhiia38wrxfvebrx-vjnl8rlkeyxof5uym9pkqc0apf1lumypvf.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Awards_and_Recognition\"><\/span>Awards and Recognition<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Armstrong\u2019s impactful journalism has earned her two Amnesty International Media Awards, in 2000 and 2002. Her work also extends beyond print; she produced and hosted award-winning documentaries for CBC, including They Fell from the Sky (2001) and Daughters of Afghanistan (2003).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.toronto1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2024\/12\/ad_4nxfeqdkm4lrea4wowlkfylorpewr-bif8rbo_sondesn505jdbvruforx289pwzz5jzmdmetljvsq1zydlxjyccbexogfhdut_djcfrnelzohtpml-svswicpc86g21gw6ov-onu4akeyxof5uym9pkqc0apf1lumypvf.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Her humanitarian efforts include co-founding Willow, a Canadian breast cancer support network, and serving as a member of the Canadian Women\u2019s Foundation\u2019s Council of Advisors, which aims to improve the lives of women and girls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Armstrong\u2019s achievements have been recognized by several universities: she received honorary doctorates from Royal Roads University (2000), McGill University (2002), St. Thomas University (2004), the University of Guelph (2007), and the University of Ottawa (2007). She became a Member of the Order of Canada in 1998, a distinction honoring her contributions to society. In 2008, she received the Canadian Journalism Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sally Armstrong has inspired individuals worldwide to become agents of change. As a journalist, magazine editor, and human rights advocate, she has reported on the struggles of women and girls in conflict zones, transforming her experiences into bestselling books. She is credited with bringing international issues into women\u2019s magazines, and her compelling stories and documentaries have raised collective awareness. A sought-after speaker and advisor, Armstrong remains a figure of pride for Toronto and all Canadians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.ca\/authors\/67794\/sally-armstrong\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Penguin Random House<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.speakers.ca\/speakers\/sally-armstrong\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Speakers Bureau of Canada<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.encyclopedia.com\/arts\/educational-magazines\/armstrong-sally-wishart-1943\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Encyclopedia.com<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sally Armstrong is a celebrated journalist, human rights advocate, documentary filmmaker, educator, editor, and author. Born in Montreal, Quebec, in 1943, Armstrong earned her Bachelor of Education from McGill University in 1966 and later completed her master\u2019s thesis at the University of Toronto. Her thesis, \u201cLack of Access: A Feminist Critique of International Documents Pertaining [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":469,"featured_media":2922,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1147],"tags":[3088,3096,3094,3090,2755,3081,3093,3092,3087,3089,3086,3091,3095,3097],"moimportance":[78,81],"motype":[1158],"moformat":[93],"class_list":{"0":"post-4070","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-about-sally-armstrongs-career-and-work","9":"tag-about-sally-armstrongs-novel-the-nine-lives-of-charlotte-taylor","10":"tag-documentary-director","11":"tag-editor","12":"tag-history","13":"tag-journalist","14":"tag-legal-activist","15":"tag-sally-armstrong","16":"tag-sally-armstrong-biography","17":"tag-sally-armstrong-history","18":"tag-sally-armstrong-is-a-laureate-of-the-rich-city","19":"tag-sally-armstrong-photo","20":"tag-sally-as-a-lawyer-best-selling-book-the-threat-has-become","21":"tag-toronto-journalist-and-legal-activist-sally-armstrong","22":"moimportance-golovna-novina","23":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatori","24":"motype-eternal","25":"moformat-longrid-korotka"},"modified_by":"Katya Koshevaya","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4070","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/469"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4070"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4070\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4085,"href":"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4070\/revisions\/4085"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4070"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4070"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4070"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=4070"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=4070"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toronto1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=4070"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}