Community Advisors
Daniella
Levy-Pinto
Daniella is a pedestrian advocate who is passionate about accessible streets and safe walking. She is totally blind and relies on her guide dog Angelo to go about the city. Daniella is a member of the Walk Toronto steering committee. She works with the National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS), where she manages digital accessibility initiatives to prevent or eliminate barriers to digital content for people with print disabilities. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Toronto.
Marvin Macaraig
Marvin is a Health Promoter and the Scarborough Cycles Coordinator at Access Alliance, a community health centre supporting Toronto’s communities who have been most impacted by structural barriers. He works to increase suburban cycling by addressing barriers that prevent residents from living healthier and more active lives. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto (Geography) and has expertise in Active Transportation and Civil Society.
Najia Zewari
Najia came to Canada in 2013 from war-torn Afghanistan where she had worked with the UN. She subsequently launched the Women’s Global Network to promote peace and to assist women suffering the horrors of war in different parts of the world. In her East York neighbourhood, Najia is engaged in a range of community projects. She is also a co-founder of the Women’s Cycling Network (WCN), a group that recently launched a BikeMatch program for donors of bicycles and individuals who need one – an especially valuable service during the pandemic. In July 2021, the Women’s Cycling Network volunteer members and Najia biked and fundraised for autistic and other special needs children summer camps.
Photo: Rick Madonik/Toronto Star
Bob Murphy
Bob chairs ACORN Canada’s York South - Weston chapter, an advocacy group dedicated to issues faced by low and moderate income individuals. He is also a community outreach worker in his Weston neighbourhood, and regularly appears as an advocacy speaker before a range of government bodies. He receives a disability pension due to a brain injury suffered in 2011, and relies on his bicycle (and the TTC) to get around.