Margie Wolfe

Born in a displaced persons camp, Margie Wolfe came to Canada as an infant. As she grew older, she came to understand how her experience as an immigrant outsider shaped her publishing and writing choices. In her work, she consistently prioritizes women’s issues, histories, and biographies, with a strong commitment to amplifying voices from diverse communities, including Indigenous, LGBTQ, disabled, and refugee/immigrant writers. As a writer and publisher, she’s no stranger to themes of inequities, abuse, race, and the Holocaust, and seeks connections with both adult and youth audiences.

In 2020, Wolfe received the President’s Award from the Association of Canadian Publishers, recognizing her publishing vision as a powerful force for change. She is known for seeking out authors and topics that bring new voices and histories to prominence. Her works have reached bestseller lists, influenced school curricula, and engaged new generations of readers.

Wolfe was honoured with the Order of Canada for her dedication as a leading publisher, feminist, and social justice advocate in Canada’s literary industry, recognizing her work in championing inclusive and diverse publications. She is currently Publisher Emerita at Second Story Press (SSP), which she co-founded in 1988 after eleven years at Women’s Press. SSP titles have been translated into more than 40 languages worldwide and used to support anti-hate education.

Margie Wolfe’s impact and contributions to Canadian publishing have helped build a vibrant and inclusive society while also being widely described as transformative.