What about being a CFBMoC member excites you most?

The CFBMoC network is a catalyst for change in Los Angeles and throughout the State. Over the past four years, I have seen first-hand how the CFBMoC network has offered funders an opportunity to work together on central issues and combine our resources, energy, attention, and expertise to exponentially increase the impact of our work together. 

Is there a recent project you would like to highlight that your organization is working on to address barriers facing boys and men of color in the state? 

In February 2023, Liberty Hill launched the Liberation Fund, which will invest in community-based solutions to eliminate harmful system involvement for girls and gender-expansive (GE) youth in Los Angeles County. Discussions related to the criminal justice system often overlook the system’s impacts on girls, GE youth, and women. This new fund builds upon our work to end the arrest and incarceration of boys and men of color and reinvest in holistic youth development approaches, but will also prioritize the unique needs, safety, and autonomy of girls and GE youth.

What’s the last book, podcast, movie or show you recently enjoyed?

Right now, I’m reading Fireweed: A Political Autobiography by Gerda Lerner. She is the historian and scholar who pioneered the field of women’s history, and the reason we celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month today. 

Gerda also happens to be the matriarch in my family who inspired my grandmother and mother to dedicate their lives to social justice, having an indelible impact on my own passion for change and my commitment to creating a safer, more equitable world for young people my entire professional and personal life. Now four generations later, I have the privilege of championing community leaders leading girls’ liberation work in Los Angeles, continuing Gerda’s legacy.