Sam Ho: Bending the Arc Towards Justice
Donor Activist Dr. Sam Ho has been committed to social justice for more than six decades. Growing up in Hawaii, his activism started when he was just a youth protesting against atomic bomb testing in the South Pacific. His passion for justice ignited, Dr. Ho increased his engagement in actions against the Vietnam War and in support of the burgeoning Civil Rights and Gender Equality Movements of the 1960s.
In his college years, he transitioned from protest action to community service, volunteering in low-income communities and learning how to become proximate to the people, causes and issues he cared about. It was during this time that he came to understand the critical need to support community-based approaches. And his passion for social justice philanthropy was born.
As he decided on a career in medicine, he knew he wanted to work in underserved communities where the needs were greater and the resources slim. He spent decades both working in underserved San Francisco communities, as well as developing and implementing successful programs to improve the access, quality and affordability of health care throughout the country. He translated his commitment to health justice into focused solutions for the many problems facing the underserved.
“I’m privileged to be able to contribute, get involved and pay it forward in a different way now,” said Dr. Ho. “My journey shows that people can continue to learn and grow.”
Dr. Ho’s journey with Liberty Hill began like many others—through word of mouth. He was introduced to L.A.’s Home for Progressive Philanthropy by his dear friends Barry and Paula Litt, longtime supporters and donor-activists with a commitment to social justice progress.
“I was looking for an organization that could provide an umbrella approach to philanthropy but not traditionally—not just by giving out money, said Dr. Ho. “Being a donor activist to me means contributing what you can to push the movement forward and learning about the issues. That’s why I love the concept of ‘Change, Not Charity’ as a slogan for Liberty Hill because it speaks to impact.”
Dr. Ho has been a dedicated supporter for more than 25 years now. One of his major focus areas is around our Agenda for A Just Future and the fight to end youth incarceration as we know it and invest in youth development, fight for a roof over every head, and eliminate toxic neighborhood oil drilling. He has continued to advocate for increased support and outreach to keep the needle of progress moving on these critical issues.
“Inequality and injustice continue—as COVID-19 showed us, health disparities in communities of color persist, income inequality has not gone away—there are opportunities every place we look to make positive changes for the benefit of our society,” said Dr. Ho. “Supporting funding organizations like Liberty Hill who are fueling the frontline activism that can bring about the more just future we seek is so important if we want to ensure this continued march toward progress. Every change we make in our society comes with struggle and we have to keep it up, and keep our eyes on the prize until we achieve our goals of racial justice, climate justice, economic justice and social equality for all.”
Thanks to the support and dedication of Donor Activists like Dr. Ho, we can continue the fight now and into the future.
At Liberty Hill, anyone can be a Donor Activist and put your passion into action to help make Los Angeles a more just and equitable place. To learn more about how you can support Liberty Hill and our mission click here to make a donation today!