This Time,
The Good Guys
Finish First.

It’s been said a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.

In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has. Research has shown that even a fraction of the population — as little as 3.5% — can tip the balance toward real change.

 

The Good Fight Prize winner receives $50,000 and two semi-finalists receive $15,000 each for a campaign that inspires and enables people to put their weight on the side of workers. It celebrates the signs of strength, creativity, and commitment within the movement for decent work — in the past and present, for the future.

 

Movements aren’t about a single person or organization. They are about many individuals and groups working toward the same goals, like fairer laws and better working conditions. Campaigns generate hope and build awareness about issues and alternatives to the status quo. They get people involved and ready to take collective action that creates the resolve to actually change things. They make public participation possible in our community, work, and democratic life.

 

Campaign actions might look like:

  • Holding meetings or workshops to learn and plan
  • Writing letters to elected representatives and circulating petitions
  • Reaching out to the media with group statements and positions
  • Participating in public consultations
  • Rallying people to speak up and let their views be known

Meet the Jury

The Good Fight Prize Jury is made up of six people who share a commitment to justice. They bring different perspectives, and practical experience with campaigns for decent work, to the task of choosing prize winners.

A man with short curly hair and glasses, wearing a blue patterned blazer and checkered shirt, stands indoors in a well-lit hallway, looking directly at the camera.

Kumsa Baker

Director, Toronto Community Benefits Network

A woman with straight dark hair smiles warmly at the camera. She is outdoors with a blurred background, wearing a red top. Sunlight highlights her face, which has a few visible freckles and moles.

Wendy Chan

Chair, Atkinson Foundation Board of Directors

A woman with long dark hair and glasses smiles at the camera. She is wearing a white top, a red-and-black plaid shirt, and a necklace. The background is a dark, textured surface.

Fay Faraday

Lawyer, Faraday Law

A man with short curly hair and a trimmed goatee, wearing a blue suit jacket and light blue shirt, smiles slightly. The background is a blurred, warm brown tone.

Kofi Hope

Co-Chief Executive Officer, Monumental

A middle-aged woman with shoulder-length gray hair, wearing blue glasses, gold hoop earrings, and a teal sweater, smiles at the camera with a green, blurred outdoor background.

Colette Murphy

Chief Executive Officer, Atkinson Foundation

A smiling bald man with a beard and mustache, wearing blue round glasses and a light purple collared shirt, stands in a bright office environment with large windows in the background.

Mark Surman

President, Mozilla

Meet the Atkinson Foundation

The hopeful, creative and collective pursuit of a good life for everyone is what Joseph Atkinson described as a “good fight”. He was the editor, and later, publisher and owner of the Toronto Star from 1899 to 1948.

 

Joseph and his wife Elmina Elliott were principled journalists, political activists, civic leaders, and life-long partners in the fight for justice. They were also faithful philanthropists. They established the Atkinson Foundation in 1942 to do this work when they no longer could.

 

Learn more about the Atkinson Foundation at our website.

“Further progress towards a solution of the problem awaits the prodding of public sentiment.”

Joseph E. Atkinson