Dr. Jill Andrew, PhD is the MPP for Toronto-St. Paul's. Jill serves as the the Ontario NDP Culture Critic and Women's Issues Critic for the Official Opposition. Jill is also a member of the Ontario NDP Black Caucus, a first of it's kind in Ontario legislative history and she also sits on the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
Jill is the first Black, Queer person to be elected to the Ontario Legislature and reportedly in Canada. Since then, Jill has been a leading voice on issues of gender, race and social justice, the housing crisis, healthcare inequities, education and the immeasurable benefit of arts and culture to our communities but also to our physical, mental and social health.
Jill was named Best MPP - First Runner Up by NOW Magazine Reader's Choice Awards - an exciting acknowledgement for a rookie MPP. Her first Private Member's Bill 61 which has successfully gone past second reading in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario is advocating for the establishment of an Eating Disorders Awareness Week the first week of February across Ontario. Jill has also tabled a motion in the legislature calling for the adoption and full implementation of an Interministerial Intersectional Gender Equity Strategy which would require proposed legislation be reviewed through an intersectional gender lens before it becomes law to ensure the impact of said legislation on women, gender diverse and racialized Ontarians is comprehensively weighed, accounted for and made public.
Outside of politics, Jill is also co-founder of Body Confidence Canada and is an award-winning educator and former columnist, equity and body-image advocate, speaker and writer. As the co-founder of #SizeismSUCKS and Body Confidence Awareness Week, Jill advocates to end size, weight and appearance-based discrimination, harassment and bullying.
Jill holds a Child & Youth Worker diploma from Humber College, a Bachelor of Education (BEd) from York University among her other undergraduate degrees, a Master’s degree in women and gender studies from the University of Toronto New College and her PhD from York University’s Faculty of Education. She was also a proud member of CUPE 3903 and OSSTF District 12. Jill's PhD dissertation explored the trifecta of racism, sexism and fat hatred experienced by Black women in the GTA, their strategies of both accommodation and resistance as well as everyday, systemic and policy reform necessary to facilitate change against anti-Black racism, gendered violence and weight discrimination.
She is a community co-owner of Glad Day Bookshop – the world’s oldest LGBT bookstore and has been an avid volunteer and donor supporting organizations across the GTA that prioritize Black and racialized communities, youth, women, the arts, LGBTQ2+ communities and chronic health advocacy among others.
Her distinctions include multiple Canadian Ethnic Media Association awards, academic awards including the Patrick Solomon Memorial Award, a Lifetime Advocacy Award from the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention, the 2022 Viola Desmond Alumni Award in honour of Andrew, Commfest's 2022 Making a Difference Award, the 2018 Person of the Year INSPIRE Award, the Nancy Ruth Award for her commitment to gender equity and being named one of Toronto’s 21 Most Inspirational Women of 2021 by Post City Magazine. In 2023, Jill was named one of Myseum Toronto’s 52 Women Who Transformed Toronto and was also recognized by CUPE, OFL and CBTU during Black History Month – the first time a living activist had received the special honour.
Jill is also a graduate of the Women Win TO political training series. She is passionate about documenting, celebrating and advocating for people's human rights and their right to social, cultural and economic access. She is deeply honoured and thankful for the opportunity to represent Toronto-St. Paul’s and allies across Ontario in the Legislature. Follow Jill @JillsLastWord.
Short bio:
Dr. Jill Andrew, PhD is the Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto-St. Paul's. During her time as an MPP, Jill has served as the Culture Critic and the Critic for Women’s Social & Economic Opportunities among other parliamentary positions. Before politics, Jill was a child & youth worker and teacher, a student equity program advisor, a university lecturer on fashion diversity and author. She also worked as a journalist for many years covering careers, education, entertainment, and lifestyle beats. Jill is also the co-founder of Body Confidence Canada home to the Body Confidence Canada Awards and Body Confidence Awareness Week recognized by two of Canada’s largest school boards. Her distinctions include multiple Canadian Ethnic Media Association awards, academic awards including the Patrick Solomon Memorial Award, a Lifetime Advocacy Award from the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention, the 2022 Viola Desmond Alumni Award in honour of Andrew, Commfest's 2022 Making a Difference Award, the 2018 Person of the Year INSPIRE Award, the Nancy Ruth Award for her commitment to gender equity and being named one of Toronto’s 21 Most Inspirational Women of 2021 by Post City Magazine. In 2023, Jill was named one of Myseum Toronto’s 52 Women Who Transformed Toronto and was also recognized by CUPE, OFL and CBTU during Black History Month – the first time a living activist had received the special honour. Jill lives in Toronto with her partner Aisha Fairclough and their two cats Josephine Baker & Dorothy Dandridge.