Liberty Hill Blog: News from the Frontlines

Courage through Coaching

 

Felicia Jones (left) and Janet McIntyre

Byline: Janet McIntyre

Felicia Jones had just been elected as the chair of the Board of Directors of CADRE, a community-based, membership parent organization in South Los Angeles led by African American and Latino parents and caregivers whose children attend local schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (and a Liberty Hill grantee). She was excited but also somewhat overwhelmed with her new responsibilities. Although Felicia was already serving on the board, and she felt more prepared to take on challenges because she'd participated in board development training offered at Liberty Hill’s Wally Marks Leadership Institute for Change, the position of chair was a new role for her.

Happily, each community-based organization that participates in the Leadership Institute is assigned a coach. As CADRE's coach and therefore Felicia's, I was able to offer her some back-up when she needed it. Stepping into a new leadership position for the first time can be daunting for anyone. So I brought a bit of my own life experience to our coaching sessions, and shared with her how I am serving on two boards! I could relate to her feelings of being overwhelmed by the responsibility, the challenges of prioritization, and the need to simply learn the fundamental roles and responsibilities of a leader of a nonprofit board.

I coached another Institute participant, the director of development of Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE) a group working for economic democracy, neighborhood integrity and tenants’ rights. Specific challenges she faced and wanted to discuss during our coaching sessions were familiar to me because I have been a dirctor of development myself. How does one go about creating a culture of fundraising amongst board and staff? How do you get others to see the value of a grassroots fundraising campaign? Those are familiar questions and we tackled them together.

These are just a couple of examples of the special relationships that develop between coaches and the community leaders they work with at Wally Marks Leadership Institute for Change thanks to the fact that coaches and participants share values, experiences, and challenges.

One of the most important things I can do as a coach is to create a safe and courageous space for the coachee. I have the responsibility to create that space where a deep trust can be developed as we share challenges, successes, fears, and aspirations without judgment. It’s in this rare place in life that individuals can truly can take risks and grow.

This safe and courageous space is deepened even further at the Leadership Institute because the coaches GET the coachees. We coaches understand the coachees in a special way because we’re practitioners: We’ve organized campaigns, we’ve worked with and served on boards, we’ve conducted grassroots fundraising campaigns. We’ve often walked in their shoes--  and many of us are still walking in these shoes each and every single day. At the Leadership Institute, we get the racial, gender, and sexual orientation justice issues our coachees are fighting;  many of us are facing these issues ourselves in our personal and professional lives.

Because I am able to connect with the leaders I'm coaching in a personal way, I am able to go deeper faster. I'm able to forge a more intimate partnership with our community leaders due in large part to who I am, what I stand for, and the experiences I bring to the coaching.

My coaching with CADRE came to a close last fall, but just a couple of weeks ago I heard from Felicia Jones, who reflected upon her last year. 

“As for my role as board chair, the coaching gave me the confidence to have courageous conversations with the executive director which deepened and strengthened our relationship both personally and professionally. I now have a new understanding and appreciation for her vision, her heart for community and South Los Angeles parents, the strategies CADRE employs, and the challenges of growth in an ever-changing landscape. I see the organization from a fresh perspective and hope to be an even greater support to the organization moving forward.”

 

 

City Committee Supports Green Zones

Byline: Susan LaTempa

How many employee hours are lost every year to California's air pollution? 

1.4 million!

There is a way to save money and go green. That's why Liberty Hill has helped to support and facilitate a coalition of environmental justice organizations who are promoting a policy to “Clean Up and Green Up” three toxic hot spot communities where pollution is worst. By establishing pilot “Green Zones” in Boyle Heights, Pacoima and Wilmington—all neighborhoods with high concentrations of hazardous pollutants—the initiative would provide financial and technical assistance to small businesses to modernize their operations and reduce impacts, while setting stronger standards for new and expanded industries.

In a major City Hall victory, on May 15, the City Council's Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee voted in favor of the Clean Up Green Up motion. With the vote, PLUM Committee Chair Ed Reyes and Councilmember Jose Huizar directed City departments to draft a work plan for developing Clean Up Green Up strategies and policy recommendations in Boyle Heights, Pacoima and Wilmington.

More than 150 supporters attended a pre-hearing rally and the hearing itself. Residents from the three Clean Up Green Up communities gathered on the sunny Spring Street steps, carrying brightly-colored signs and banners in support of clean, healthy communities. Councilmember Jose Huizar, who sponsored the Clean Up Green Up motion, spoke of the need for government, communities and businesses to work together. He praised the policy as an innovation that might serve as a model across the United States. "It's about building strong, healthy and economically viable communities by addressing pollution and identifying resources and support for businesses," he said. 
 
Also appearing at the rally: Councilmember Eric Garcetti; Leonardo Vilchis, Co-Executive Director of Union de Vecinos ; Janet Laredo, student leader at Banning High School, Wilmington; Dina Cervantes, Business Owner, Triumph Precision Products in San Fernando; and Adrian Martinez, Natural Resources Defense Council.
 
At the hearing Jose Huizar introduced the motion and then commented on how forward-looking the proposed policy is because it combinines economic development incentives with familiar local planning tools. He said the initiative is grounded in collaboration among residents, community groups, government and business. His concluding remarks touched on the historic significance of the Clean Up Green Up policy in that it addresses pollution at the local level by drawing upon the City's unique powers and resources.
 
City Planner Faisal Roble spoke about the need to address incompatible uses in new ways and described the value of Clean Up Green Up performance standards for future updates of community plans  as well as for use in the proposed Health and Wellness Element to the City's General Plan.

Other speakers included Nury Martinez, Executive Director, Pacoima Beautiful;  Jim Sadd, PhD, Professor, Occidental College; Manuel Pastor, PhD, Professor, USC Program for Environmental & Regional Equity;  Don Spivack, LA Collaborative consultant; Jane Warner, President and CEO, American Lung Association in California; Mario Rosales, Pacoima resident; Alfred Carrillo, Wilmington resident and Pastor, Apostolic Faith Church;  Dina Cervantes, Owner, Triumph Precision Products;  Michelle Garakian, Vice-President of Programs and Policy, LA Business Council; amd  Joe Lyou, Executive Director, Coalition for Clean Air.
 
Not surprisingly, there were some opposition speakers. Both committee members pointed out that the hearing represents the first step in a longer process and many of their concerns would be addressed as the Planning Department engages the impacted communities and sectors as part of the policy development process.
 
In the end, the PLUM Committee directed the Planning Department to take the lead with other departments to develop recommendations to implement Clean Up Green Up strategies and policy provisions in Boyle Heights, Pacoima and Wilmington including but not limited to:
•    Financial and planning incentives
•    Inspection and enforcement protocols
•    Administrative funding mechanisms; and
•    Design standards.

The Planning Department was directed to report back to the PLUM Committee within 60 days. The City Administrative Office was directed to work with the Planning Department to prepare a report within 60 days that provides a cost estimate to implement the Clean Up Green Up strategies and policy recommendations.
 
A separate motion was also passed by the PLUM Committee directing the City Attorney to prepare within the same 60 day period an ordinance to create a trust fund allowing the City to accept and disburse funds, including donations from private donors, philanthropic and other contributions, for the development and implementation of Clean Up and Green Up strategies.
 
This report is adapted from the Clean Up and Green Up newsletter.

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Upton Sinclair Dinner Photos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you haven't yet checked out Liberty Hill's updated version of a Society Page-- we mean our Facebook Photo Album of Upton Sinclair Dinner Photos-- here's a preview of some of the fun shots of our social justice community of donor-activists, community organizers, nonprofit professionals, allies, and friends of friends!

 

More on our Facebook Page!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Manuel Pastor Accepts Changemaker Award

Manuel Pastor accepts Liberty Hill's 2012 Changemaker Award at the 30th Anniversary Upton Sinclair Awards and Dinner at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

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Wendy Chang Accepts Founders Award

 

Wendy Chang accepts Liberty Hill's 2012 Upton Sinclair Award at the 30th Anniversary Upton Sinclair Awards and Dinner at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

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Dustin Lance Black Presents Paris Barclay with Liberty Hill's Upton Sinclair Award

Dustin Lance Black presents Liberty Hill's 2012 Upton Sinclair Award to Paris Barclay at the 30th Anniversary Upton Sinclair Awards and Dinner at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

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Paris Barclay Accepts Upton Sinclair Award

 

Paris Barclay accepts Liberty Hill's 2012 Upton Sinclair Award at the 30th Anniversary Upton Sinclair Awards and Dinner at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

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Best Online Auction Ever

As a companion event to Liberty Hill's 30th Anniversary Upton Sinclair Awards Dinner, we're proud to announce that Liberty Hill's 2012 Online Auction goes live at p.m. tonight, Wednesday, May 9. Even if you can't be with us at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, you can bid on celebrity experiences and memorabilia from Elton John, One Direction, Katy Perry, Garth Brooks, Norah Jones, Foo Fighters, Tim McGraw, Elvis Costello and more on eBay to benefit Liberty Hill.

The online auction runs until 6 p.m. May 19. Help us meet our goals to raise money to fund community organizers working for economic justice, LGBTQ justice and environmental justice in Los Angeles!!

We'll be posting photos and notes as our honorees TV producer-director Paris Barclay, philanthropist Wendy Chang, and scholar-activist Manuel Pastor are celebrated by the vibrant, diverse community of Liberty Hill supporters and allies.

Meanwhile, why not bid a little?!

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White House Looks Beyond Model Minority Myth

Byline: Preeti Kulkarni

In April, I was one of three Liberty Hill representatives to attend the first-ever National Philanthropic Briefing on the Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) Community at the White House. I was joined by my colleagues Kristin Aldana-Taday and Carol Lee (we're pictured above with Chris Lu, Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary & Co-Chair, White House Initiative for AAPIs and below with Seema Patel, Policy Advisor for Labor & Civil Rights, White House Initiative for AAPIs) .

It was an historic occasion. 

There is a dramatic imbalance between the amount of philanthropic dollars that go to the AAPI community (less than 1/2 of 1%) and our representation in the general population (6%). White House staff appear to understand how grave the situation is, and that the model minority myth helps perpetuate this disproportionate allocation of resources. We also discussed how the aggregation of AAPI population data results in overlooking urgent needs in our communities and the importance of sharing these problems with others in philanthropy.

We believe this is a critical time to make philanthropy more inclusive. Without strong AAPI leaders at the table, the needs in our communities will continue to be distorted and under resourced.

We were very proud to share Liberty Hill’s efforts to address communities in need.  Liberty Hill has not shied away from focusing on communities of color and our efforts include partnering with the Latino and African American communities. As Liberty Hill is L.A.’s House of Justice, we are founded in diverse communities. The AAPI community is a part of this.

Over the last three years, more than half a million dollars (between 10 and 15% of our annual grantmaking budget) has been invested in AAPI communities including urgently needed support for the Khmer population in Long Beach, the Korean population in Koreatown, and Pilipinos, South Asians and AAPI lesbian and gay individuals throughout L.A. County.

Few foundations in attendance could boast the commitment to AAPI issues that Liberty Hill has.

Our pride was only underscored when White House staff dimmed the lights for a video produced by one of our grantees, Khmer Girls in Action. The video is a powerful statement about the needs in the Khmer community. You can see it here.

New census data indicates that the AAPI poverty population is increasing. Between 2002 and 2010, the Asian American poverty population increased in real terms by 46 percent! Most of those AAPI families are living in a handful of metropolitan areas including Los Angeles. This alarming news only reinforced our commitment to strengthen the work Liberty Hill does to invest in local, low-income AAPI communities.

The meeting at the White House was just the first step in what promises to be an ongoing effort to address the needs within AAPI communities. You can be sure that we at Liberty Hill will be at the frontlines of that action.

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