Donovan Hayden

Donovan is an Organizer at Progress Toronto. Donovan is a community organizer and theatre creator based in Toronto. Through his work he strives to bring people together, empower them to take action, and create an impact that liberates everyone and dismantles oppressive systems. 

He has had the opportunity to engage with anti-racism work, theater, and community organizing in Canada, the United States, and South Africa. He is grateful to be able to use his art to activate his politics and rely on his politics to ground his art. Blending these two has become a way for him to ask questions and play around with answers.

Donovan graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York with a double major in Sociology and Africana studies. In 2021, he finished a MA in Theatre & Performance Studies at York University. Since returning to Toronto, he has been engaged with several community organizations and was a volunteer coordinator for Paul Taylor's campaign for MP in Parkdale—High Park. He is actively involved in the Unitarian Universalist church, regularly giving talks at congregations on faith-based anti-racism work. His theater practice revolves around telling stories that center Black people and engaging non traditional audiences.