"You don't live in this world as a Black, gay, Jewish, son of a Persian immigrant without growing a tough skin. Diversity and adversity have taught me how to build bridges - but they've also taught me how to fight the good fight.
Born April 21, 1983 in Livingston, New Jersey USA. Raised in Jersey City and in Newark, New Jersey.
I was born in New Jersey to an African-American mother and Persian father. We were a working poor family and for us life was a constant struggle to make ends meet. I held on to my goals, getting into Princeton and through three law degrees. I know what it’s like to come from a hard life, but I also know what it’s like to make good on little more than faith and hard work.
I've previously taught as a high school English teacher, served as a K-8 school administrator and as a community college instructor. I enjoy giving back through education and I believe that it is the key to our advancement as a country, just as it has been key to my own personal upliftment. I formerly practiced law in Canada and more recently as an international environmental lawyer at a firm in Israel-Palestine. [There are links below to some of my published articles on environmental law.]
Here in Youngstown, OH, I serve as a member of the Youngstown Board of Education, fighting the predatory effort of the State of Ohio to take over our district and trap our children in a CEO-run corporate failure. I have fought to ban fracking and successfully taken on local and state government in court to uphold the public's right to public records.
I also serve as a rabbi, providing religious services to the Youngstown, OH community.
I am a proud homeowner (and school district taxpayer) in Youngstown’s Sixth Ward.
ELECTED EXPERIENCE
Board Member, Youngstown Board of Education (Youngstown, OH) - 2016-Present
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Chair, Mahoning County OH Green Party
Green Party National Committee Delegate (on behalf of the Lavender Caucus)
Member of the following organizations:
- T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
- Shomrim Breishit: Rabbis and Cantors for the Earth
- Jewish Voice for Peace
EDUCATION
B.A., History - Princeton University
LL.B. (Bachelor of Laws) - University of Windsor
J.D. (Juris Doctor) - University of Detroit Mercy
LL.M. (Master of Laws) - Wayne State University
PUBLISHED ARTICLES
Hunter, Dario, and Tzvi Levinson. “The Impact of the Recasts of the RoHS and WEEE Directives.” Practical Law Company Cross-Border Environment Multi-Jurisdictional Guide 2012-13 (2012)
Hunter, Dario, and Tzvi Levinson. “New State-Level Legislation on Lawn Fertilizer: A Double- Edged Sword for Toxic Tort Litigation.” ABA Environmental Litigation and Toxic Torts Committee Newsletter 13-2 (July 2012): 12. Print.
Dror, Gil, Dario Hunter, and Tzvi Levinson. “The Regulation of Nanomaterial Products.” Practical Law Company Cross-Border Environment Multi-Jurisdictional Guide 2011-12 (2011)