Atkinson Field Notes
Learning in Action
Reflections, presentations and speeches by Atkinson’s Chief Executive Officer Colette Murphy and the rest of the Atkinson team.
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1 May 23
“We’ve lost a giant,” wrote Pedro Barata on the day after we learned that Dr. Charles Pascal had died suddenly. “Charles was relentless. He leaves us such a rich legacy of progressive policies and strong organizations pushing for social justice. So many of us benefited from Charles’ wisdom, time and belief.” Read more >
14 Apr 23
After five years at Atkinson, I’m leaving to become Councillor Ausma Malik’s Chief of Staff at Toronto City Hall. Ausma and her entire team share a belief that the city can be more equitable and livable – one of many things we hold in common with voters in Spadina-Fort York. In making the move from social justice philanthropy to municipal politics... Read more >
21 Dec 22
The Atkinson Foundation turned 80 this year. We arrived at the threshold of a new decade quietly, in stark contrast to the boisterous celebration of our 75th anniversary in the space that once housed the Toronto Star’s printing presses at 1 Yonge Street. In October, Atkinson’s Board and staff members raised their glasses to Joseph Atkinson and Elmina Elliott... Read more >
19 Dec 22
The Toronto Community Benefits Network (TCBN) has won the Atkinson Good Fight Prize for its campaign to put equity at the centre of Ontario’s infrastructure development process. This $80,000 award was given to mark our 80th anniversary. Read more >
21 Oct 22
The exorbitant price we pay for inequality is rising faster than the current rate of inflation these days. When I first heard the logic of inflation many years ago, it sounded like a naturally occurring phenomenon like gravity and tides. I soon discovered that the cost of essential goods and services, and the cost of borrowing money... Read more >
5 Jul 22
“Musicians are the original gig workers. Same as Uber drivers and food delivery workers. I realized we’re in the same fight.” Rollie Pemberton (aka Cadence Weapon) said this in response to a question about artists as workers at a public reading of his new book, Bedroom Rapper. Read more >
27 May 22
My life feels suspended in a whirlwind of change, opportunity, and unlimited possibilities. Now more than ever, I’m convinced of our ability to garner collective power for good. Growing up in east Scarborough, I’ve always found myself drawn to examining overarching systems of oppression and their long-lasting effects on various communities. Read more >
4 Mar 22
It’s been exactly 152 days since Canada marked its first National Truth and Reconciliation Day. I’m among those who experienced the ringing of the opening bell by Tabatha Bull at the Toronto Stock Exchange as a sign of real progress. But I am also among those who want to use our investor power to make sure history does not record it as yet another symbolic gesture. Read more >
11 Feb 22
This week, we heard that the Atkinson Fellow on the Future of Workers, Armine Yalnizyan, was named to Maclean’s 2022 Power List as “the caring person’s economist.” When I went to take a look at the list, I was so pleased that Bilal Baig, the creator and star of CBC’s Sort Of, also made the list. In the show, Baig’s character Sabi navigates their work as a nanny and bartender... Read more >
6 Feb 22
Ever since the news of John Honderich’s sudden death broke, like many of you, I’ve been taking in the story of his life. Friends, co-conspirators and rivals alike have attested to John’s brilliance, tenacity, and principled pursuit of stories with the power to re-shape the world. At the Atkinson Foundation, we witnessed all of these leadership qualities... Read more >
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