Toronto & York Region Labour Council, OPSEU
As a racialized immigrant in Canada, Jojo faced many barriers throughout his life. These experiences are what drove him to become an activist in immigrant and refugee rights. He found himself particularly drawn to the struggle against racism. For more than three decades since, his voice has carried a message of social justice, determined to rally for the rights of immigrants and people of colour.
Jojo’s career has spanned multiple organizations. He has worked as an Administrative Coordinator at the Cross Cultural Communication Centre, a Policy Advisor with the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI), and as Special Assistant for Policy with a Cabinet Minister in the Ontario Government. He has also worked on international development projects in the Asia Pacific region and advanced democratic reforms in his native Philippines.
His passion for the labour rights movement also led him to work for more diverse, inclusive and equitable labour unions in both the United States and Canada. These placements include time as an Education Officer with the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), Education Director of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) based in New York, and as Executive Director of the Labour Education Centre with the Toronto and York Region Labour Council.
In November 2002, he co-authored the book, Education for Changing Unions, a resource to promote racial equity in Canada’s labour unions.