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Andrea Houston

Contract Lecturer
Education
Bachelor of English, York University 
Journalism diploma, Humber College
Fundraising Management, Humber College
Courses
JRN 415/NNS 410/JN8422: Queer Media (Fall 2023)

Andrea Houston is the managing editor of Ricochet Media (external link) , a digital non-profit publication in Canada. 

As an instructor at Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Journalism, she developed and continues to teach Canada’s first-ever Queer Media journalism course. Previously, she served as executive assistant to former member of provincial parliament, and Ontario’s first LGBTQ critic, where she helped to craft and pass legislation to make the province a safer and more accepting place for LGBTQ youth, sex workers, and other marginalized people — including the passage of Canada’s first ban on conversion therapy. 

Andrea’s been a staff reporter at a number of publications, including the Toronto Star, the Peterborough Examiner, Xtra, and managing editor of Torontoist. Her reporting has played a key role in the passage of human rights legislation.

More recently, at Rainbow Railroad, Andrea was part of the team helping queer and trans people facing persecution in more than 70 countries around the world escape to freedom.

  • 2016 - “LGBTQ Role Model of the Year” from Canadian Centre for Gender & Sexual Diversity 
  • 2012 –“Canadian Newsperson of the Year” from J-Source (finalist) 
  • 2014 and 2015 – “LGBT Person of the Year” at Inspire Awards (two-time finalist) 
  • 2012 – Honoured Dyke at Pride Week, named by Pride Toronto in recognition of “outstanding achievement and contribution to Toronto’s LGBTTIQQ2SA communities through excellence in reporting on Bill 13 (Accepting Schools Act) and Toby’s Act”
  • Human rights
  • Social and political movements
  • Press freedom
  • Accountability journalism