Justice League
Good Trouble Makers Justice League
While the Hall of Fame honors twelve extraordinary individuals, the world is full of people making good trouble every day. The Good Trouble Makers Justice League shines a spotlight on these heroes — those creating meaningful change through peaceful action.
Explore the Justice League across three exciting categories: Top 20 United States, Top 20 Worldwide, and our newest wing, Defending U.S. Democracy. Join us in celebrating their courage and impact!
This group reflects the wide tapestry of U.S. struggle for justice across race, gender, sexuality, labor, environment, and democracy. From Sojourner Truth and Ida B. Wells, who gave voice to freedom and exposed racial violence, to Fred Korematsu, who challenged wartime injustice, these figures embody courage against oppression. Marsha P. Johnson, Harvey Milk, and Angela Davis pushed forward the fights for LGBTQ+ rights, liberation, and prison justice. Labor leaders like Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and Eugene Debs fought tirelessly for the dignity of working people. Environmental and consumer voices such as Rachel Carson and Ralph Nader reshaped public awareness of corporate and ecological responsibility. Thinkers and activists like Howard Zinn, Emma Goldman, and Dorothy Day challenged prevailing systems of power, while Gloria Steinem and Ella Baker advanced women’s equality and grassroots democracy. Finally, Colin Kaepernick reminds us that protest for racial justice continues in the present. Together, these 20 stand as essential U.S. voices in the Justice League, united by their willingness to resist conformity and risk everything for freedom and fairness.
The international Justice League highlights how the pursuit of justice transcends borders, regimes, and eras. From Rosa Luxemburg, José Martí, and Emmeline Pankhurst, who led struggles for workers, independence, and suffrage, to Desmond Tutu and Wangari Maathai, who fought apartheid and environmental destruction, these figures reveal justice as both universal and rooted in local battles. Courage took many forms: Oskar Schindler and Dietrich Bonhoeffer resisted the horrors of Nazism, while Ken Saro-Wiwa, Berta Cáceres, and Rigoberta Menchú defended Indigenous land and human rights against deadly odds. Dissidents like Andrei Sakharov, Liu Xiaobo, Ai Weiwei, and Svetlana Tikhanovskaya stood up to authoritarian regimes demanding freedom. The list also includes bridge-builders and visionaries: Mary Wollstonecraft for gender equality, Lech Wałęsa for labor democracy, Greta Thunberg for youth-led climate action, and Narges Mohammadi for women’s rights in Iran. Their stories remind us that justice requires bravery in the face of dictatorship, oppression, and even death. They are part of the Justice League because they illuminate humanity’s shared struggle for dignity, truth, and liberation across every continent.
Democracy isn’t something we inherit — it’s something we protect, defend, and fight for every single day. The Good Trouble Makers Defending U.S. Democracy honors the courageous men and women who step forward, often at great personal risk, to uphold the principles that keep our society free and just. They challenge misinformation, safeguard voting rights, hold leaders accountable, and speak truth to power — all with the goal of ensuring that every voice is heard and every citizen can participate fully in shaping the future. This category celebrates their relentless dedication, their fearless advocacy, and their unwavering commitment to keeping democracy alive and thriving.