In a letter to authors and illustrators this week, Margie Wolfe shared this announcement:
“I can hardly believe that I am telling you I will no longer be at the helm of Second Story Press. I have transferred ownership of the company to Phuong Truong who has been our General Manager for twenty years. I trust her to guide the company as its Publisher in a way that respects and also enhances its history and its vision. And who will also bring her own priorities and perspectives to the work.” Wolfe adds she will remain involved in acquiring titles, focusing on international rights, anti-hate and social justice special initiatives, and overseeing a portion of the list.
Second Story Feminist Press was founded in 1988 by Wolfe together with Liz Martin, Lois Pike, and Carolyn Wood, all of whom had come from Women’s Press. They believed that by marrying great storytelling with important content, books could influence readers to help create a more just, equitable, and compassionate world. Along with the adult titles for and by women, they supported writers who wanted to address issues of social concern, diversity, and equity in children’s literature, which was not standard at the time and often considered inappropriate for youth. But it worked. Second Story Press’s acclaimed books have been sold into more than forty languages and are used by educators in many parts of the world. For her leadership, Margie Wolfe has received recognition and awards, including from the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, the Association of Canadian Publishers, the National Jewish Book Awards, and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. Recently, she was inducted into the Order of Canada:
“Margie Wolfe is a leading women’s and social justice advocate in the world of Canadian publishing. A trailblazer of second-wave feminism in Canada, she co-founded Second Story Feminist Press Inc., a company committed to equity, inclusion and diversity in authored works. As its president and publisher, she advanced Holocaust literature for children, and promoted Indigenous and 2SLGBTQI+ communities in books. Through a collection of award-winning adult and children’s books recognized for their reach within minority communities, she successfully showcases Canadian authors and illustrators on an international stage.”
“I asked Phuong to join me at the ceremony because I was receiving the award on behalf of Second Story Press, and she will determine its future,” says Margie. “This change is very hard for me. My work has been a gift that I have loved and cherished. I believe Phuong, who has spent two decades involved in building the list, is the right person to enhance and enrich and add new priories to the legacy.”
“In addition to the very important work that Margie has done that has benefitted all independent Canadian publishers, she has been instrumental in changing the way that we introduce difficult topics to children. I am grateful to have learned from her over the past 20 years,” says Phuong Truong. “I am so honored that Margie has entrusted me with guiding Second Story Press into the future and I am excited to see what that future holds.”
