Please note that the titles and descriptions that accompany each Trailblazers photograph are dated to the launch of the exhibit, March 2006, and will not be updated.
"For my three years of law school, I was the only 'out' lesbian in a class of almost 200, a ratio that has sadly changed very little over the past decade. For me, lesbian activism is inseparable from a broader vision of social justice that necessarily rocks the boat."
Pam Shime '95
National Director, Pro Bono Students Canada
A Jewish lesbian growing up in a conservative, predominantly gentile Toronto neighbourhood, Pam Shime learned early on what it was like to be an outsider. Drawing her strength from a very close family and parents who taught her to believe in herself, Pam refused to quietly conform. She brought her maverick spirit to U of T's law school in 1992 - a time when few students were comfortable being openly gay. With her characteristic charm and humour, Pam set out to make the school a more welcoming place for all marginalized students. Today, as Director of Canada's first and only national public interest law program for students, Pam is committed to improving access to justice and empowering her students to become leaders in the profession. A gifted teacher, Pam has created courses at the university on gender and law, sexuality and law, and advocacy. Her most recent innovation is an international program that will teach advocacy skills to those working for progressive change.
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