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For over thirty years the Liberty Hill Foundation, whose slogan is “Change, Not Charity,” has been diligently working to promote grassroots community organizing in Los Angeles. The foundation was first established in 1976 by Sarah Pillsbury a film producer and heir to the Pillsbury Baking company. Liberty Hill, not only identifies and trains local community leaders who are working to advance issues of social justice, they also put these local leaders in touch with other community groups who are working toward the same goals.

The Foundation recently announced its list of 2013 Leaders to Watch, identifying unsung community leaders who have worked tirelessly to improve their communities. On that select list is Kendra Moore the President of Holiday Venice Tenant Action Committee. Moore was able to preserve a 15 building affordable housing complex in Venice by obtaining an $80 million settlement with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Another Leader on the list is Kruti Parekh who is the Program Coordinator for the Youth Justice Coalition which helps hundreds of young youth leaders gain the training and skills to increase their activism in South Los Angeles.

Ariel Bustamante the Southern California Program Coordinator for the Gay Straight Alliance Network is also among the Leaders named by Liberty Hill. Bustamante’s work has helped advance the rights of LGBT people in the southland area.

The last two women to make the list are partners Heather Miller and Melissa de la Rama. Miller and de la Rama are Liberty Hill Donors and activists who have devoted their lives to social justice issues. Miller is a rabbi with the lesbian and gay synagogue, Beth Chayim Chadashim. De La Rama, whose day job is as a marketing executive at Warner Bros. has helped oversee and recruit thousands of volunteers for the LA Pride festival and has been influential in driving Warner Bros. social responsibility committee.

Visit www.libertyhill.org and gsanetwork.org for more information.