Speaker Tonya Williams
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Tonya Williams is an award winning actress and is founder and executive director of Reelworld Screen Institute, Reelworld Film Festival and Reelworld Foundation, organizations now in their 25th year, dedicated to creating opportunities for Black, Indigenous, Asian, South Asian and People of Colour in the Canadian screen industries. Under her leadership, Reelworld has become a national leader in industry advocacy and workforce development.
Tonya’s fifty years working in the screen industries, nineteen of those starring on The Young and The Restless, has earned her numerous awards including 2025 Canada Walk of Fame, 2024 Canadian Screen Awards Changemaker Award, two NAACP Image Awards, an ACTRA Award of Excellence, a WIFT-T Crystal Award, a Harry Jerome Award and was nominated twice for the Daytime Emmy Awards. She has been named one of the 100 Most Influential Black Canadians for three consecutive years, cementing her influence as a champion for systemic change in the arts.
She holds British, Canadian and US citizenship and splits her time between Toronto and Los Angeles.
Speaking on: Partner Presentation - Telefilm; In Search of the Eh List
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