Jim Toy Awarded the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award

“We are climbing the mountain of justice, hand in hand!” – Jim Toy, 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

NASW-Michigan is excited to announce that James (Jim) Toy, LMSW has been named the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a social worker who has spent a career advocating for the profession and their clients.

Jim Toy is best known as the first person in the state of Michigan to publicly come out as a gay man, back in 1970 at an anti-Vietnam War rally. With a community resource center, a University of Michigan library, and even "Jim Toy Day" named in his honor, Toy has been advocating for the LGBTQ community for over 40 years at the university, community, state, and national levels.

"I was taught never to talk about sex, politics, or religion at the dinner table. And I think I have learned that if you bring up one, the other two inevitably have to follow," Toy has said. "I'm a Democrat, I'm an Episcopalian, I'm a conscientious objector. I was born biologically male, so I was assigned to what we call the male gender. I identify with that gender assignment. And, as it turned out, I happened to be gay."

Born in 1930 to a Chinese-American father and a Scottish-Irish-American mother, Toy's long journey towards self-discovery and tireless advocacy has been one that closely parallels the country's developing understanding of race and sexuality issues. He co-authored Ann Arbor's non-discrimination policy in regard to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression (1972), co-founded the Detroit Gay Liberation Movement and the Ann Arbor Gay Liberation Front, and co-founded the first office at any university in the world devoted to sexual orientation concerns.

He is a founding member of the Washtenaw County LGBT Retirement Center Task Force, PFLAG/Ann Arbor, GLSEN/Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Area, Washtenaw Rainbow Action Project (WRAP), Transgender Advocacy Project (TAP), American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Inclusive Justice Program, Washtenaw Faith Action Network, Ypsilanti Human Rights PAC, Ypsilanti Rainbow Neighbors, and the Out Loud Chorus.

Jim is a trained mediator and a trainer for the AFSC Inclusive Justice Program’s non-violent-dialogue training (“LARA”). He is a member of the Program Committee of the AFSC Michigan's Inclusive Justice Program and currently serves on Equality Michigan's Board of Advisors and the WikiQueer Global Advisory Board. Jim is also a founding member of the gay Baroque trio, Rosetta Stoned & The Higheroglyphics.

Receiving his MSW degree from the University of Michigan School of Social Work in 1981, Jim still serves as a pro bono counselor and therapist.

NASW-Michigan member, Sandra Sammons, who nominated Jim for the award, said in her introduction at the Annual Conference, “Clearly Jim’s lifetime of advocacy has made a major contribution toward creating a better world of lasting change toward acceptance & appreciation of the social contributions of all people without regard for their race, gender identity or sexual attractions. And that, of course, does not include all of the time he spent helping individual people. Even in retirement he is unstoppable. He has continued to volunteer his time to teach & advocate for a better understanding & respect for LGBT people, through the University of Michigan, the Episcopal Church and any other venue where he can make a difference.”

Jim could not be a better example of what it means to be a social worker. His career in social justice, advocacy, and leadership make him an exemplary choice for the NASW-Michigan Lifetime Achievement Award.

For information about the Jim Toy Community Center, visit: http://jimtoycenter.org/about/