Paving The Road To Change

At Liberty Hill, we understand the road to change is long and winding—its unseen curves and sharp turns often take us in directions we didn’t expect and present us with challenges we couldn’t anticipate.

Along the way we face powerful foes and seemingly insurmountable obstacles, we dodge a variety of setbacks and speed bumps threatening to slow down or impede our progress, and sometimes we end up having to double back, retrace our steps, and refuel to ensure we make it to our destination.

But the journey to lasting change also presents us with opportunities—once-in-ageneration chances to truly change the systems that are prioritizing punishment, not care, for youth; to elevate the needs and rights of all Angelenos to have safe, stable, affordable housing; to put an end to the harmful pollution that is causing lasting damage to our communities—and to reimagine a future where justice for all is more than a hopeful slogan.

Liberty Hill has been standing side by side with our frontline partners for nearly 50 years in the fights for racial justice, youth and transformative justice, LGBTQ justice, housing and economic justice, and environmental and climate justice. We knew this journey was never going to be easy—but we’re committed to every step because we know the fight is worth it. Los Angeles is worth it. Our communities and our citizens are worth the fight.

As we stand on the shoulders of those titans of activism who came before us, we must continue to recommit ourselves to the work of change. This past year we’ve supported our partners as they round the bend on several critical local fights, including the successful legal battle to ensure the critical Measure J ballot initiative—which allocates 10% of LA County’s unrestricted funds to community investments and alternatives to incarceration—was upheld. After securing historic victories in the city and county to phase out neighborhood oil drilling, we’re now working on the country’s first Just Transition task force to set the goals and strategies for transitioning to a new cleaner, healthier future that benefits all Angelenos. And our partners in Stay Housed L.A. and Keep LA Housed have kept up the pressure in the ongoing fight for tenant rights, bringing together both labor and tenants to elevate the cause of housing as a human right.

This hard-fought progress is the result of years of activism, countless hours of frontline organizing, and the dedication and commitment of our grantee partners who have never let up on the gas no matter how difficult the road. Their tireless efforts have been the driving force for our progress and success, and their vision for the future of this work will be the fuel that keeps us moving toward our goals.

No single organization can do this work alone. That’s why whether you are a frontline organizer, a community leader, a community partner, or a donor activist—we’re so grateful to have you on this journey with us.

The theme of this year’s book is All Roads Lead to Change, because I truly believe that together we can achieve more than we imagined and go further than we’ve dreamed. By centering people with lived experience, investing in the frontline organizing, and continuing to ensure our victories are implemented and funded, we can realize the future we seek—together.

Thank you for standing beside us as we continue to pave the road forward to change.

Until Justice for All is realized.

Shane Murphy Goldsmith
President/CEO
Liberty Hill Foundation