Tonya Hegamin

Tonya C. Hegamin is a Type 1 Diabetic and works with a service dog named Bobo. She has worked with organizations like Women Against Rape, Police Athletic League and Planned Parenthood since 1998. Her experience as a patient and victim advocate and community educator stems from her personal journey as a bisexual and chronically ill woman of color. Hegamin attended the New School University’s Creative Writing MFA program, and she holds a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion Education and Training from Cornell University Institute of Labor Relations. Hegamin’s authorship is focused on cultural history, inclusion, (dis)ablity, LGBTQIA+, body positivity and womanist perspectives. Her books have won awards, reviews and recognition from The New York Public Library, The Christopher Award Foundation, Publisher’s Weekly, The Washington Post and Essence Magazine. Currently, Tonya is an Assistant Professor at CUNY’s Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, NY. She has spoken internationally about integrating access, diversity and inclusivity into academic practices, working environments and healthcare institutions.