Sigma Gamma Rho’s Tonya Williams Inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame

Tonya Williams, actress, producer, activist, and proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., has officially been inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame, honoring her decades-long legacy of cultural impact and advocacy in Canadian film and television.

Best known to American audiences for her iconic role as Dr. Olivia Barber Winters on The Young and the Restless, Williams portrayed the beloved character from 1990 to 2005 and again from 2007 to 2012. But her influence extends far beyond daytime TV.

Williams is the founder and executive/artistic director of the Reelworld Film Festival, a pioneering platform based in Toronto that champions diverse voices and storytellers in film and media. Through Reelworld, she has spent over two decades amplifying the work of creators from underrepresented communities, making her one of Canada’s leading voices for equity in entertainment.

In recent years, she’s been recognized among the 100 Most Influential Black Canadians three years running, and in 2024, she received the Changemaker Award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television for her work in advancing inclusion.