Since our founding in 1953, one thing has been central to our grantmaking—the people and organizations on the front lines of social change that help us carry forward the legacy set by our founders Evelyn and Walter Haas.

While we’ve been privileged to partner with hundreds of leaders advancing transformative change over the years, we asked seven of them to reflect on our guiding mission to advance justice, hope, and equality, as well as our values of inclusion, respect, collaboration, and courage and why they’re important to achieving our shared goals.

In a pair of interviews with Inside Philanthropy and Philanthropy News Digest, our own Cathy Cha discusses the state of collaboration and diversity in the philanthropic sector, our journey to 70 years as a foundation, the key issue areas we’re currently funding, and more.

The Haas, Jr. Fund is honored to welcome Monica Martinez, who will lead strategies and partnerships to level the playing field in higher ed and reduce financial barriers to a college degree. She has extensive experience advancing education equity and innovation, including in her most recent post as director of strategic initiatives at the Learning Policy Institute, where she played a crucial role in expanding the use of alternative assessments to increase college admissions access nationwide.