BIOGRAPHY
After 14 years of advocacy, the local and provincial award recipient Akio Maroon is as dedicated to equity, equality and human rights today as they were back in 2001 as highlighted below:
Conferences: World Human Rights Conference, Feminist Conference, Catalyst Conference, Anti-Black Racism Conference: Criminalization, Community and Resistance, Black futures Now, Pride Human Rights Conference 2016, National Anti-Trafficking Forum
Speaker: Toronto District, School Board, Slut Walk Toronto, Collation for the Elimination of Poverty, Take Back The Night, Toronto Rape Crisis Centre / Multicultural Women Against Rape.
Volunteer and or Organizer for Stop & Frisk, Mothers Call for Justice (NYC), Hands Up Toronto, Trayvon Martin March for Justice, Communities United for Police Reform, Cop Watch New York, Justice Committee, Toronto People With AIDS foundation.
Panelist: Sexual Education Center University of Toronto, OPIRG, The Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention, The Human Rights Forum on the experience of African descendants in Canada
Radio: News Talk1010, Canadaland Commons, 3 Women with Cheri Dinovo, CUIT, Globe and Mail
Canadian Delegate - The International Human Rights World Pride Conference, Summit on Sexual Violence and Harassment
Feature - Huffington Post, National Post, Now Toronto, Toronto Star, Metro Toronto, The Guardian UK - discussing justice and equality for migrants and racialized people. Globe and Mail – Colour Code discussing Race in Canada.
Feature - Toronto Metro, Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, Globe and Mail CBC, CityTv discussing systematic racism, Police violence and Poverty reduction
Feature - Consent and LGBTQ Equality Educator featured on three episodes of Showtime Entertainment: Sunny Megatron Show
Community Organizer with Poverty Reduction Toronto – bringing together over 75 community organizations to identify key actions the City of Toronto should undertake as part of its proposed Poverty Reduction Strategy.
Community Engagement
Executive Board Member of Pride Toronto
Appointed to the permanent Provincial Roundtable on Violence Against Women
Board of Directors: Maggies Toronto Sex Workers Action Project
Community Outreach Director of Techsdale
Former - working group member and Organizer with the Network for the Elimination of Police Violence
Former - Community Organizer with the Network for Panafrican Solidarity
Former - Community Organizer and working group member with STRUTT Toronto - Sex Worker Justice
Former - Community Organizer with Poverty Reduction Toronto a coalition of over 75 organizations ensuring that Toronto’s Poverty Reduction strategy is adopted and implemented
Founder and Organizer for Grind Toronto
Director and Founder of Toronto Childcare Collective
Past - Participant in Toronto Friends For Life Bike Rally since
Former - Volunteer for The Toronto People with HIV/Aids
Former - Mentor for Eastview Boys and Girls program
Former - Volunteer for Out of the Cold
Achievements
Canadian Delegate - The International Human Rights World Pride Conference
Sexpert - Featured Sex Educator and Activist by Sexology Magazine
Tonotoist People To Watch 2015
Feature - Huffington Post, National Post, Now Toronto, Toronto Star, Metro Toronto, The Guardian UK, discussing sex workers rights
Feature - Toronto Metro, Toronto Star, Toronto Sun discussing systematic racism and Police violence
Feature - Sex and LGBTQ Equality Educator featured on several episodes of Showtime Entertainment: Sunny Megatron Show
2016 - Leading Women Building Communities award for exceptional leadership to improve the lives of Women and Girls.
BCCA's Human Rights Award for 2016