Ready to Rise: Cultivating Community & Connection
Earlier this month, Liberty Hill and California Community Foundation hosted the Ready to Rise Convening, a dynamic gathering of grantees, partners, and community leaders united by a shared vision of positive youth development and systems change.
Under the theme “Cultivating Community and Connection,” the all-day convening brought together leaders from 50 Ready to Rise (R2R) grantee organizations across Los Angeles County. The summit provided space for collaboration, reflection, and renewal—strengthening relationships within the R2R network and inspiring innovative approaches to youth justice.
Participants engaged in interactive breakout groups, small group discussions, and a panel featuring frontline organizers, including Joseph Williams (Students Deserve), Diane Ujiiye (API Rise), and Jesus Sanchez (Gente Organizada).
Now in its fifth year, Ready to Rise delivers critical funding and capacity building support to community-based organizations serving youth impacted by justice involvement or those who are vulnerable to it. Through programs focused on education, mentorship, leadership development, and creative arts, R2R grantees help young people improve their socioemotional wellbeing, build power, and thrive.
In 2025, the initiative has provided $22.5 million in funding to 99 organizations across Los Angeles County, reaching more than 30,000 youth.
