Read about Sentayehu's ally, Hamid Kahn

Sentayehu Silassie, a 57-year-old Ethiopian immigrant, drove a taxi cab on the streets of L.A. for more than 18 years. As a younger man, he studied accounting at Cal State L.A. while working fulltime as a security guard. Although he did graduate, an accounting career wasn't in the cards, and when he left his position as a security guard, he resorted to driving a cab, learning firsthand the abuses in the taxi industry.

Unlike many of his fellow taxi workers, who rarely complained for fear of retaliation, Silassie was often critical of the taxi industry's practices. Silassie's driving career ended in 2007, when he was fired abruptly for speaking out one night at a Los Angeles City Council meeting. After his keys were taken away, he subsisted on handouts from friends. Eventually  until he was hired as coordinator of L.A. Taxi Workers Alliance (LATWA). Like so many organizations on L.A.'s frontlines, LATWA had been unable to secure foundation support until Liberty Hill stepped up. Liberty Hill first funded LATWA in 2006.

For years, Los Angeles taxi workers like Silassie have been essentially invisible. Equally invisible have been the oppressive working conditions they suffer daily.  When passengers commute from here to there, little do they know that taxi workers
• work 72-84 hours weekly to survive
• earn poverty income—a median wage of approximately $8 per hour, including tips
• must annually pay many thousands of dollars to their cab company for the privilege of driving
• commonly suffer terrible health problems, including severe back and leg problems, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure
• receive no health insurance benefits or workers compensation from their cab companies
• must adhere to a strict dress code and face humiliation and large fines for infractions
• are primarily immigrants from Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America
• are more likely to be victims of homicide than any other line of work
• are employed by cab companies accused of engaging in backroom deals and other shady practices
• face retaliation and even death threats from cab company officials for airing their grievances

"Liberty Hill grants help to make us stand up on our feet and go on fighting," said Sentayehu Silassie when asked about the effects of Liberty Hill's giving. "Also without my salary, we wouldn't be anywhere."

Silassie pointed to some of LATWA's achievements: The nonprofit defeated a backroom deal the taxi industry had proposed to Los Angeles that would have extended sweatshop working conditions until 2015. They won two meter rate increases and creations of a $15 airport minimum fee, which resulted in more than $22 million in additional annual income for the 5,000 drivers in LA. LATWA won a lawsuit that seven taxi companies had filed to harass and intimidate drivers. The city's necktie requirement, which posed a safety risk to drivers, was eliminated. LATWA convinced City Controller Laura Chick to review ATS, the company that manages the taxi drivers and the result was a scathing audit. LATWA succeeded in gaining clean drinking water and sanitary bathrooms for the LAX "holding lot," where drivers wait, sometimes for hours, for driving assignments. The organization printed an extensive health booklet handed out during LATWA's recent health fair.

"All that", said Silassie, "is because of Liberty Hill. And thanks to Liberty Hill, doors will be open in the future for other grants. Without Liberty Hill, we couldn't go nowhere."

Result: $22 million in additional wages for taxi drivers. Powered by Liberty Hill.

The work continues. Other leaders are working to raise poverty wages right now. Check our blog for the latest news on change, not charity in L.A.