Joel Safranek

When my family moved from rural Kingsford, Michigan to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, one thing that saved me from being a lost little kid in the big city was a beautiful children’s library in a grand building just around the corner from our third-floor walk-up. For my legacy, I want to help the children of Los Angeles, regardless of income, have access to the kind of experience I had – kid-centered programming, art and literature in a beautiful public space. A safe and welcoming space just for them.

The California Community Foundation partnered with StoryCorps to record the stories of our Centennial Legacy Society members. StoryCorps is a national nonprofit whose mission is to provide all people with the chance to record, preserve, and share the stories of our lives.