Mary-Jo Nadeau Award

A respected and much-loved scholar and teacher at several Ontario universities, Mary-Jo Nadeau was also a fierce social justice activist and union organizer. She was dedicated to anti-racist and anti-colonial struggles. Here on Turtle Island, Mary-Jo was a key force for Palestinian solidarity, and against white supremacy and white settler colonialism. She was crucial to building the Canadian BDS movement and maintaining its connection with the global movement. In addition to Faculty for Palestine, Mary-Jo co-founded the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA), and dedicated herself to Labour for Palestine. As an activist and organizer for CUPE, she worked tirelessly to promote union support for Palestine solidarity. Mary-Jo was also a brilliant scholar who brought an anti-racist critique to Canadian feminism and wrote critically on silencing of political opposition to the Israeli state.

Read more about Mary-Jo’s vital Palestinian solidarity work at Faculty for Palestine and Spring Magazine.

Given the nature of her work and the dearth of resources available to Palestinian and allied organizers, the focus of the award will be college and university campus-based organizing for justice for Palestine, highlighting the political importance of supporting Palestine and Groundswell’s commitment to global Indigeneity.

Groups doing Palestinian solidarity and support organizing work can contact us at info@groundswellfund.ca for criteria and information about when funds will be awarded.

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