I’m Toni, a filmmaker based in San Francisco.
If there’s one thing that defines me, it’s my endless curiosity.
I followed my curiosity when I sought out Mary Ellen Pleasant Park. I heard that it was the smallest park in San Francisco. What did that even mean?
When I found the “park” I found a sidewalk with four eucalyputus trees. Why would the city recognize a sidewalk? Who is Mary Ellen Pleasant? And that’s when the real discoveries began. I learned that Mary Ellen Plesant’s legacy to San Francisco and California is much bigger than any sidewalk could hold.
She is considered the Mother of Civil Rights in California and the more I learned about her the more I wanted to know about other women in San Francisco’s history. Then I wanted to know more about the history of women in other cities…and then the world!
I was amazed by how much I didn’t know about women’s history and I felt cheated that I wasn’t taught much herstory in school. When herstory is ignored it’s easier for society to ignore women.
I’ve made Look Up HerStory to bring you all along with me as I learn about women who shaped our world today. I’m not a history major but that doesn’t mean history is off-limits to me… or you! I have the curiosity to look up herstory, and I know that many of you do too.
Visiting places that connect us with important women of the past expands our awareness of our world and our sense of possibility for our own lives and communities. Let’s Look Up HerStory!
Sausalito, California — out to find a drinking fountain built as a memorial to former mayor Sally Stanford and her dog, Leland.
Udaipur, India — documenting Sanjhi, a youth photography and environmental advocacy program.
