Mina Tolu

Tolu and their twin sibling, Ludo Tolu, were born on 31 August 1991. Together, they founded the Maltese Student Organisation, We Are, in 2010.{{Cite web |url=http://www.weare.org.mt/p/about-us_24.html |title=The Executive Team |language=en |access-date=2018-12-10 |archive-date=11 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181211010216/http://www.weare.org.mt/p/about-us_24.html |url-status=dead }} Tolu's father, Giancarlo Tolu, is a Maltese sportsman who broke a Guinness World Record in bowling in 2004{{Cite web |url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20040921/local/bowling-coach-breaks-world-record.111943 |title=Bowling coach breaks world record |website=Times of Malta |date=21 September 2004 |language=en-GB |access-date=2018-12-10}} and represented Malta at the European Senior Bowling Championships{{Cite web |url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150717/sport/silver-medals-for-spiteri-in-bologna-tournament.576932 |title=Silver medals for Spiteri in Bologna tournament |website=Times of Malta |date=17 July 2015 |language=en-GB |access-date=2018-12-10}} and the Senior World Cup.{{Cite web |url=https://nocmalta.org/mapfre-msv-life-national-leagues/ |title=Malta Olympic Committee – Tenpin Bowling National Leagues |website=nocmalta.org |date=2 August 2017 |access-date=2018-12-10}}

Tolu graduated with a Bachelor of Communications (Hons) from the University of Malta in 2014.{{Cite web |url=https://hydi.um.edu.mt/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=OARatUoM123456789/29518&context=L&vid=356MALT_VU1&search_scope=all&tab=default_tab&lang=en_US%20%20https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18300777.Mina_Tolu |title="Sarah's story" : the creation of an LGBT comic |last=Tolu |first=Romina |date=2018-12-10 |website=hydi.um.edu.mt |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2018-12-10}} Their dissertation project consisted of the creation of a comic meant to reach out to the LGBT Young Adult (YA) audience. The comic was aimed at the Maltese audience, where literature of this type is limited.

Tolu began advocating for LGBTQIA rights in 2010, starting with the foundation of We Are (LGBTQIA youth & student organization) at the University of Malta.

From 2014 to 2015, Tolu was a board member and Co-Chair of IGLYO - the International LGBTQIA Youth and Student Organization (2014 - 2015). They were IGLYO's candidate for the Council of Europe Advisory Council of Youth (CCJ) during 2016 and 2017.{{Citation |first=Mina |last=Tolu |title=Mina Tolu - Advisory Council on Youth |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqBqpAG-YM8 |access-date=2018-12-10}} They were elected to the Advisory Council of Youth{{Cite web |url=https://rm.coe.int/1680702425 |title=Members of the Advisory Council on Youth |last= |first= |date=2018-12-10 |website=Council of Europe |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2018-12-10}} where they worked on portfolios of mental health, counter-narratives and 'no hate speech'. In 2015, Tolu joined the staff team of TGEU - Transgender Europe as Communications Officer.{{Cite web |url=https://www.oneyoungworld.com/profile-main/67216 |title=Mina Tolu |website=One Young World |language=en |access-date=2018-12-10}} File:Human Rights Conference at Stockholm Pride 2018 Closing Session 03.jpg

In 2016, Tolu represented Malta at One Young World Summit in Ottawa, Canada. They delivered a speech on trans rights and was a member on a panel about gender equality.{{Cite web |url=https://lovinmalta.com/news/maltese-representative-corrects-emma-watson-at-international-youth-conference |title=WATCH: Maltese Representative Challenges Emma Watson At International Youth Conference |website=lovinmalta.com |date=30 September 2016 |language=en |access-date=2018-12-10}} Tolu spoke about challenging gender stereotypes, gender-neutral pronouns{{Cite web |url=https://aditus.org.mt/worlds-apart-tiny-island-directors-talking-point-times/ |title=Worlds apart on a tiny island - our Director's Talking Point on The Times |date=2016-11-02 |website=aditus foundation |language=en-GB |access-date=2018-12-10}} and stressed the need for gender equality to include transgender and gender-non-conforming people. During their speech on trans rights and violence against trans people{{Citation |title="This year alone 185 trans people have been reported murdered" {{!}} Mina Tolu| date=18 November 2016 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN1t4Wrjzsw&t=3s|access-date=2018-12-10}} at the One Young World Summit, Tolu spoke about TGEU's Trans Murder Monitoring project{{Cite web |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/03/leading-lights-one-young-world |title=Leading Lights |website=The Hive |date=30 March 2017 |language=en |access-date=2018-12-10}} and called on the One Young World community fighting similar forms of discrimination, violence and hatred towards diversity to unite together and bring change in all these communities.

In 2018, Mina Tolu joined the Women Deliver Young Leaders program,{{Cite web |url=https://womendeliver.org/ |title=An Unwavering Advocate for Girls and Women |website=Women Deliver |language=en-US |access-date=2019-05-27}} which is a global advocacy program that develops youth activists to work for gender equality and women's rights. They returned to local activism in Malta by joining the Pride Week events in the run-up to Malta Pride 2018.{{Cite web |url=https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/things-to-do/heres-every-single-event-happening-at-malta-pride-next-week |title=Check Out Every Single Event Happening At Malta Pride Next Week |website=lovinmalta.com |date=8 September 2018 |language=en |access-date=2018-12-10}} In August 2018, Tolu joined the Human Rights Conference at Euro Pride held in Stockholm.{{Cite web |url=https://program.europride2018.com/en/events/805/reproductive-rights-and-lgbti-rights-different-challenges-different-strategies |title=Reproductive rights and LGBTI rights: different challenges, different strategies? - EuroPride 2018 Stockholm |website=EuroPride 2018 Stockholm Program |language=en |access-date=2019-01-04 |archive-date=5 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190105042956/https://program.europride2018.com/en/events/805/reproductive-rights-and-lgbti-rights-different-challenges-different-strategies |url-status=dead }}

In 2015, Tolu coordinated the national referendum campaign SHOut - Spring Hunting Out (No campaign){{Cite web |url=http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-01-25/local-news/Spring-Hunting-Out-campaign-says-it-is-time-to-set-the-facts-straight-on-spring-hunting-6736129395 |title=Spring Hunting Out campaign says it is time to 'set the facts straight' on spring hunting - The Malta Independent |website=www.independent.com.mt |access-date=2018-12-10}} for the Maltese environmental NGO BirdLife Malta that aimed to abolish spring bird hunting in Malta. The result of the vote was a slim victory for the Yes Campaign of 2,220 votes.{{Cite web |url=https://electoral.gov.mt//media/default/documents/referendum_2015_official_result_govt_gazette.pdf |title=Referendum 2015 Official Result Govt Gazette |last= |first= |date= |website=electoral.gov.mt |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2018-12-10}}

Mina Tolu was nominated and won the student award at the first LGBTQIA Community Awards in Malta, 2014. Their twin, Ludo Tolu, won the same award.{{Cite web |url=https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/45758/nominees_for_first_lgbti_community_awards_announced |title=Nominees for first LGBTI Community Awards announced |website=MaltaToday.com.mt |language=en |access-date=2018-12-10}} In the same year, they were awarded Kokka Attiva by the University Student Council (KSU) for their work as a student at the University of Malta and was nominated for a JCI Malta young leader award.{{Cite web |url=http://theinsiter.org/news/67033/18-awards-handed-out-at-kokka-night-2014/ |title=18 Awards Handed out at Kokka Night 2014 |date=May 14, 2014 |first=Timothy |last=Diacono |website=The Insiter |access-date=2018-12-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181210202854/http://theinsiter.org/news/67033/18-awards-handed-out-at-kokka-night-2014/ |archive-date=2018-12-10 }}

Tolu is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns.{{Cite web |title=[WATCH] Mina Tolu: 'Respecting my gender pronouns means people see me' |url=https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/interview/93389/mina_tolu_respecting_my_gender_pronouns_means_people_see_me |access-date=2022-11-05 |website=MaltaToday.com.mt |language=en}}

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Category:1991 births

Category:Living people

Category:Maltese transgender people

Category:Maltese non-binary people

Category:Transgender rights activists

Category:Transgender politicians

Category:Transgender non-binary people

Category:Maltese LGBTQ rights activists

Category:University of Malta alumni

Category:Non-binary activists

Category:Non-binary politicians

Category:21st-century Maltese LGBTQ people

Category:Maltese environmentalists