Putting A Passion For Justice Into Action
Giving Circles
NextGen Giving Circle
The NextGen Giving Circle was formed this past year and is focused on engaging donor activists between the ages of 25 to 45. Their goal is to promote social change through collective support of nonprofit organizations that center the perspectives of marginalized communities and are positioned to transform the systems that impact them. This year their members hosted a variety of events exploring everything from how reproductive, environmental, and housing justice affect fellow Angelenos, to how the philanthropic community can support frontline movements. In their very first grant cycle they raised and distributed $35,000 this year!
Nurturing A New Generation of Donor Activists
From an early age, Donor Activist Ernesto Arias had a passion for social justice and making a difference in his community. Born and raised in South Central L.A., Ernesto grew up seeing the effects of racial and economic injustice firsthand. Today, he uses the experiences from his upbringing to guide his philanthropic giving—supporting social causes near and dear to his heart.
Ernesto’s philanthropic journey began with Liberty Hill. After many years of participating in his neighborhood council and volunteering for local initiatives, Ernesto wanted to make a difference by supporting social change through giving.
Through joining Liberty Hill’s NextGen Giving Circle, Ernesto found a community of like-minded donor activists that support nonprofit organizations that center the perspectives of marginalized communities in their work. Now Ernesto looks forward to continuing his giving and donor activism through the NextGen Giving Circle, supporting the circle’s work to support social justice causes in Los Angeles.
Having a group like the NextGen Giving Circle—where we can come together, focus on different issues, and evaluate those issues to really make informed decisions about where we’re investing our money—it’s an opportunity I really couldn’t pass up on.
We are deeply grateful for the unwavering commitment of Liberty Hill’s longtime donor activists and funding partners and the many individuals and organizations that began new partnerships with Liberty Hill during this critical moment in history.
Together, we are bending the Arc towards justice.
Donors who made gifts in FY23 between 10/1/22 and 9/30/23 are listed below.
Circle of Change Fund
Wendy Chang (Co-Chair) &
David Solin Lee
Sally Lew (Co-Chair)
Cathy Choi
Jon Christensen & Ursula K. Heise
Grace Lee
Grant Lee
Stephanie M. Lomibao
Weston Milliken, Ph.D.
Rick Noguchi
A. Sparks
Millie Yamaki
*1 Anonymous Donor
Environment + Justice Donor Circle
Jon Christensen (Co-Chair) &
Ursula K. Heise
Dominique Tan (Co-Chair)
Michele Asselin
Miriam Bar-Zemer
Nicole Barajas
Celia Bernstein, Brad Kesden &
Lena Kesden
Stephanie & Harold Bronson
Colleen Callahan
Sofia Chang
Barbara Cohn
Gabrielle Crowe
Glen Dake
Renee Dake Wilson
Lisa Friedman
Kay Gilbert
Catherine Gudis
Adam Gunther
Sean Hecht
Brett Heeger
Jon Hicks
Beth Kent
Katharine King
Paula Litt
Loraine Lundquist
Cassandra & Garo Manjikian
Daniel Melling
Beth Meltzer
Julia Meltzer & David Thorne
Jane Paul
Michele Prichard
Molly Rysman
Kirsten Schaffer
Grant Sunderland &
Katherine Vaughters
Allison Thomas
Sam J. Vinal
NextGen Giving Circle
Andrew Bartholomew (Co-Chair) &
Siena Aguayo
Jennifer Williams (Co-Chair)
Ernesto Arias
Greer Bronson
Jon Christensen & Ursula K. Heise
Glen Dake
Nicholas Litt
Grant Sunderland &
Katherine Vaughters
Dominique Tan
Sam J. Vinal
OUT Fund Donors
Wendy Chang (Tri-Chair)
Bill McDermott (Tri-Chair)
Rachel Roth (Tri-Chair)
Celia Bernstein, Brad Kesden &
Lena Kesden
Sheri Bonstelle
Diana Buckhantz
Jon Christensen
Jennifer Dawson
Sophie A. Fanelli
Jennifer Gregg
Grant Lee
Weston Milliken, Ph.D.
Paul Moore
Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation
Bradford Pollard
Robert M. Saltzman
Woody Sides
A. Sparks
Tony Valenzuela
Matty & Andrew Wilder
Pobladores Fund Members
Teresa Cisneros Burton &
Sean Burton
Susan Genco & Mitch Kamin
Julie Hermelin
Beatrice Hsu & Andrew Glazier
Andrea & David Nevins
Amy Elaine Wakeland &
Eric Garcetti
Shana Weiss & John Silva
Abby Wolf-Weiss & Daniel Weiss
X Fund Executive Committee
Susan Genco (Co-Chair)
Julie Hermelin (Co-Chair)
Teresa Cisneros Burton
Tracy Gray
Andrea Nevins
Meiko Takayama
Sarah Vaill
Amy Elaine Wakeland
Shana Weiss