On November 12, 30 L.A. County-based artists unveiled a group of never-before-seen sculptures exploring the most pressing issues facing our region. Commissioned by CCF, the We Are Los Angeles exhibit represents the collective diversity and strength of Los Angeles. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of our board members and donors, these sculptures now reside with organizations that make an impact on these issues and transform the lives of Angelenos every day.
89.3 KPCC
This poem was written to commemorate the end of the California Community Foundation’s centennial at We Are Los Angeles, Nov. 12, 2016. By Luis J. Rodriguez Poet Laureate of Los Angeles Every summer when Santa Ana winds scatter around dry leaves and dead tree branches, and droughts make kindle out of the formerly green, a human hand or lightning strike can awaken the fire in all things, fire that also burns inside each of us, becoming the searing soul-birth of creativity—and of dirt, seed-ground for new plants, flowers, regeneration. Wildfires are metaphor and reality for our internal and external terrains. Things come back, but not always like before. There’s a natural order to life, a rhythm we often miss, but the tones persist despite our lack of hearing, of paying attention—or just ignoring. Tempos and beats come at us every day, every hour, in dark and in light, as drops of water or gust-hands on our faces and backs. Los Angeles is music but also muscles, a rain dance often with no rain, neon glare and smog-tinged skyline, held together in a spider-web called freeways, a place where even Jacarandas and palm trees are transplants. This city gives and takes away, but in nature whatever is removed is returned, even if in surprising ways, unexpected, with a twist. The human way is too chaotic, nonsensical, although laden with inventiveness. Buildings are bricked, stuccoed, and nailed together with stories, survival stories, war stories, love stories, the kind of harrowing accounts Los Angeles exudes at 3 am, when ghosts meander the upturned pavement, rumble by on vintage cars, and all night diners convert to summits for the played out, heartsick, and suicidal—fodder for Hollywood scripts or L.A. noir novels. There’s a migrant soul in this rooted city, Skid Row next to the Diamond District, waves of foam against barnacled piers, cafes and boutiques next to panaderias and botanicas. Ravines and gulleys turn into barrios; rustic homes with gardens dot bleak cityscapes; and suburbs burst with world-class graffiti. Fragmented yet cohesive, Los Angeles demands reflection of ourselves, and the unstable ground we call home. As in nature, the inequities can be breached, the gaps bridged, for home is also an invitation to care, to do whatever balances, whatever complements, whatever unites and clarifies, as poverty, violence, and uncertainty shake up safety and sanity. The key is for human law to align to natural law, for people to proclaim “enough is enough” and “what I do matters,” with deep examination, proper adaptation, full cognizance. No persons should die for lack of a roof or food or compassion. As John Fante would say, they are “songs over sidewalks,” imaginations on the interchange, humanity that deserves connection, touch, breath. These roads, bridges, alleys also contain concertos. Breezes over ocean’s darkest depths are rife with harmonies. And a howling moon and red sunset serve as backdrops for every aching interlude, soundtracks to revive the inert. Los Angeles is where every step rhymes, where languages flit off tongues like bows across strings, skateboarders and aerosol spray cans clatter as daily percussion, and angels intone “we can do better,” while haggling at garage sales. ##
$129 million pledged as part of Centennial Legacy Campaign LOS ANGELES – November 12, 2016 – The California Community Foundation (CCF) is celebrating the culmination of its 100th year with a public art exhibit exploring social issues in Los Angeles County and celebrating the many visionary donors who have contributed to the foundation’s Centennial Legacy Campaign. Initiated in 2013, the campaign aimed to encourage L.A. residents to make permanent legacy gifts to address the future needs of Los Angeles County. The campaign has raised $129 million in pledges from 112 donors. Whether they wish to support a single organization or broad issue area like education or health, CCF will steward their legacy gifts to benefit generations to come. For 100 years, CCF has championed a variety of issues across the county. Most recently, as our homelessness crisis continues to escalate, CCF has invested in building more permanent supportive housing for the homeless. This includes services like mental health or substance abuse treatment to help our homeless neighbors thrive. Marking the end of the centennial today is We Are Los Angeles – a public exhibit that aims to foster civic pride and unity – values that frame CCF’s work. Thirty-two renowned local artists have enhanced modern angel statues to convey their hopes for meaningful change. “The goal of our centennial has been to motivate Angelenos to create enduring legacy gifts and increase conversation about solutions to our region’s most urgent challenges,” said California Community Foundation President & CEO Antonia Hernández. “As art has the power to spark dialogue and move people, we hope the We Are Los Angeles exhibit inspires people toward greater engagement in building a stronger community.” The exhibit was inspired by Community of Angels, a large-scale temporary public art installation that took place in Los Angeles from 2000-02. The foundation partnered with artist Gayle Garner Roski – who designed an angel in 2002 – to reimagine the design for today. Roski designed the six-foot-tall statue out of plasticated foam core that has two intersecting cutouts mimicking the timeless paper doll. We Are Los Angeles artists are: Raul Baltazar Lili Bernard Guillermo Bert Enrique Castrejon Otha “Vakseen” Davis III Fabian Debora Joe Galarza Joel Garcia Yolanda Gonzalez Jennifer Gutierrez Morgan Zeal Harris Siobhan Hebron Pearl C. Hsiung Sandra Low Jose Lozano Poli Marichal Barry Markowitz Álvaro D. Márquez Dalila Paola Mendez Noni Olabisi Raul B. Pizarro Ramon Ramirez Jose Ramirez Vyal Reyes Victor Rosas Gayle Garner Roski Miyo Stevens-Gandara Haruko Tanaka Linda Vallejo Ray Vargas Angel Villanueva J Michael Walker You can see their work online at www.calfund.org/wala and in person from Nov. 12-17 at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles. Following the exhibit, the angel statues will be sponsored and donated to nonprofit organizations throughout Los Angeles County that are working to improve the quality of life for all residents. Learn more about the Centennial Legacy Campaign at www.calfund.org/donors/centennial-legacy-campaign. CONTACT Chris Compton marcomm@www.calfund.org (213) 413-4130
Los Angeles Daily News
The Hollywood Reporter
Nonprofit Quarterly
89.3 KPCC
By John E. Kobara for The Huffington Post
Los Angeles Times
New study finds decline in giving amid urgent and rising need in Los Angeles. LOS ANGELES – June 3, 2016 – A study commissioned by the California Community Foundation (CCF), and conducted by the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, finds that local giving is on a decline, with Los Angeles County residents declaring $7.16 billion in 2006 charitable deductions compared to $6.03 billion in 2013. The Generosity Gap: Donating Less in Post-Recession Los Angeles County shows that in many L.A. communities, donations are ebbing as needs surge, particularly for families in poverty, youth, the elderly and the homeless. Released today at the Center for Nonprofit Management’s 501(c)onference, the report combines IRS data with a first-of-its-kind survey that asks Angelenos about their charitable giving to L.A. causes. It explores the current fiscal context for giving and offers a snapshot of the behaviors, patterns and motivations by Los Angeles County donors. “Local nonprofit organizations form a powerful network dedicated to serving the county’s most vulnerable residents, but we know they are stretched for resources,” said Antonia Hernández, president & CEO of the California Community Foundation. “We as a collective region must tap into our talent and generosity of spirit to build stable organizations that can make a lasting difference in Los Angeles County.” Some of the report’s major findings include: Los Angeles County residents are donating $1 billion less to charitable causes than they did in 2006. And those with greater capacity to give overall are giving a lower proportion of their household income. Median nonprofit revenues continue to decline dramatically in Los Angeles County. White, Latino, Asian American/Pacific Islander, African American and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender donors in Los Angeles give at similar rates across most causes. They vary, however, in the proportion of their giving that goes mostly or entirely to locally focused organizations. Given the opportunity to make a large gift to Los Angeles, donors’ highest priority would be ending homelessness. But of their contributions to basic needs causes and combined-purpose organizations in 2015, only one-third went to locally focused nonprofits. Planned giving is strongly connected with support for locally focused charitable causes, through both bequests and current contributions, especially among donors under 40. “UCLA and CCF are local institutions that seek to transform donations from a few into opportunities for many,” said Bill Parent, project director and lecturer in public policy at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. “It is our hope that a better understanding of charitable giving in the region can benefit donors and nonprofits alike, as we work together to build better futures for all Angelenos.” Commemorating its 100th year, CCF has hosted a range of activities to inform and inspire L.A. residents to give back to their community, whether through volunteering their time, donating to their favorite causes or creating a legacy for future generations. CCF aims to draw attention to complexities, trigger dialogue and encourage solutions to Los Angeles County’s most pressing challenges with this study. The Generosity Gap was written by J. Shawn Landres and Shakari Byerly, with Paul Ong, Silvia González, Mindy Chen, and Bill Parent of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs’ Center for Neighborhood Knowledge, through support from CCF. DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT The California Community Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life for all Los Angeles County residents by addressing the root causes of the county’s most urgent problems. The foundation has served as a public, charitable organization since 1915, empowering donors to pursue their own personal passions and to collaborate with us in transforming Los Angeles County. For more information, please visit www.calfund.org. The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs is a leading institution for research and scholarship in the areas of public policy, social welfare and urban planning and other areas vital to the continued health and well-being of our global society. Learn more at luskin.ucla.edu. CONTACT Taleen Ananian tananian@www.calfund.org (213) 452-6203