It was an evening of charity, cheers, and tears at the 17th annual Artists for Peace and Justice gala.<\/p>\n
Presented in partnership with Entertainment Weekly, NKPR, and more, the 2025 event included emotional performances and speeches from the likes of Fefe Dobson<\/a>, Amanda Brugel, and more.<\/p>\n “When we started APJ in 2009, many people didn’t even know where\u00a0Haiti\u00a0was \u2014 a country so close to where many vacation, yet where children faced hunger and education wasn’t a priority,” NKPR founder Natasha Koifman, who serves as APJ’s Canadian and U.S. Board Chair, said on stage at the at the historic Omni King Edward Hotel in\u00a0Toronto on Saturday. “17 years later, it’s incredible to see\u00a0Toronto\u00a0still coming together with the same commitment. Our hope is that one day we will see lasting change in\u00a0Haiti, and that commitment is why we are here tonight.”<\/p>\n Tyler Da Silva \/ Shutterstock<\/p>\n Anna Ruddick, Fefe Dobson, and Dan Kanter perform at the 2025 Artists for Peace and Justice Gala<\/p><\/div>\n The evening featured performances by Dobson, Kardinal Offishall, Rotimi,\u00a0Paul Beaubrun,\u00a0and Charmie \u2014 as well as a song from brothers William and Alexandre Osias, who graduated from the Academy for Peace and Justice (Haiti’s only free middle and secondary school, which was founded and funded by APJ).<\/p>\n Workin’ Moms actress\u00a0Dani Kind also presented The Handmaid’s Tale<\/a> star and Canada’s Drag Race judge Brugel<\/a> with an award for her “unwavering dedication to advocacy and representation.”<\/p>\n “I was born in the right country at the right time, with access to education, clean water, healthcare, and economic stability \u2014 not only did I have a village, but my village had a village,” Brugel said during her acceptance speech. “That privilege comes with a responsibility. To me, helping others is both a practical and moral responsibility. We cannot take what we have for granted. We must work hard to create a level playing field for the children of\u00a0Haiti. That is what we are here to do.”<\/p>\n Tyler Da Silva \/ Shutterstock<\/p>\n Amanda Brugel and Dani Kind attend the 2025 Artists for Peace and Justice Gala<\/p><\/div>\n Over the course of the evening, the gala raised\u00a0$750,000\u00a0to support education and community-led initiatives in\u00a0Haiti. Most of the funds were raised during a live auction presented by\u00a02Fifteen Forest Hill Luxury Rentals by DBS\u00a0and led by\u00a0best-selling author Eric Hendrikx.<\/p>\n Highlights from the auction include former Toronto Blue Jays all-star\u00a0Jos\u00e9 Bautista\u00a0recreating his iconic bat-flip moment and celebrated artist\u00a0Russell Young\u00a0speaking about the inspiration behind his work.<\/p>\n Want more movie news? Sign up for\u00a0Entertainment Weekly<\/a>‘s free newsletter<\/a>\u00a0to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.<\/strong><\/p>\n Since its founding, APJ has raised more than\u00a0$36 million\u00a0and supported over 32,000 students through access to quality education, healthcare, and dignity. To learn more, visit\u00a0www.apjnow.org<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0or follow @artistsforpeace on Instagram and X.<\/p>\n<\/span><\/div>\n
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