The internationally renowned street artist Vhils (Alexandre Farto) has created a mural in Toronto’s Little Portugal neighbourhood – on 1628 Dundas St. West (just west of Brock Ave.) – honouring Portuguese “cleaning ladies” and their labour activism through the Cleaners’ Action movement in the 1970s-80s. The Embassy of Portugal in Canada, the Little Portugal BIA, and the Deputy Mayor Ana Bailão were the organizers of this initiative.
In July 2020, I was asked by the organizers to offer suggestions as to whom should be featured in the mural, which was to be dedicated to Portuguese women. My suggestion of the Cleaners’ Action was approved by the organizers and the artist, who collaborated with me and Susana Miranda in the creation of the mural. We contributed multiple photos and newspapers from the Portuguese Canadian History Project’s Collections at the Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections, York University Libraries – some of which are featured in the mural – helped Vhils’ team connect with members of the Cleaners’ Action, and provided interviews for a short documentary. The unveiling took place on October 19 and was attended by a sizeable audience of community members, politicians, and labour leaders.
To learn more about the history of Cleaners’ Action, follow the links below:
Dr. Susana Miranda, “Keeping the City Clean: Portuguese Women in Toronto’s Cleaning Industry, 1970-1990” podcast, Active History, October 21 2010: http://activehistory.ca/…/history-matters-podcast…/
Dr. Franca Iacovetta interviews Marcie Ponte and Sidney Pratt, “Portuguese Workers/Birth of Cleaners’ Action 1975,” Rise Up! A Digital Archive of Feminist Action: https://riseupfeministarchive.ca/…/portuguese-workers…/
Gilberto Fernandes 
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