Every Voice Shines New Light

The value of an idea increases exponentially when it’s shared. From our staff, partners and grantees to the people impacted by their efforts, each perspective offers new insight into the critical issues at the heart of our work.

Our Contributors

Sepi Aghdaee

Sepi supports the Fund’s grantmaking across programs and issues, including longtime community partnerships in the Bay Area.
Cathy Cha

Cathy oversees the Haas, Jr. Fund’s grantmaking and the development of program strategies.
Denis Chicola

Denis works to ensure that communications are at the core of the Fund’s efforts to advance rights and create opportunities.
Matt Foreman

Matt oversees the Fund’s extensive support for the drive for equal rights and opportunities for LGBT people.
Victor Garcia
Walter J. Haas

In his leadership of the Haas, Jr. Fund, Walter J. Haas is guided by a commitment to serving the community and to creating opportunities for all people to succeed.
Ira Hirschfield

Ira oversees the Fund’s investments and leads its work on selected community partnerships.
Jennifer Kirschenbaum
Paula Morris

Paula has worked with the Fund’s Flexible Leadership Awards program since its inception in 2005, and was its program director until January 2015.
Beth Rayfield

Beth Rayfield is the director of institutional advancement at the Center for Community Change (CCC) and former development director at CHIRLA.
Robert Ross
Jennie Lehua Watson

Jennie leads the Fund’s work to advance rights and create opportunities for all people.
Evan Wolfson

Evan is the founder and President of Freedom to Marry, a longtime Fund partner and key player in the campaign to win marriage equality nationwide.
Linda Wood

Linda leads the Fund’s work to strengthen leaders, organizations and movements that are advancing social change.
Sylvia Yee

Sylvia served as the Fund’s Vice President of Programs

Lessons from California

August 30, 2018 | by

Successes of California's Grass-Roots Activists Offer Lessons for All Grant Makers

CEO of The California Endowment, Robert Ross, and Vice President of Programs at the Haas, Jr. Fund, Cathy Cha offer insight on Manuel Pastor's book, State of Resistance.

This piece was originally published in The Chronicle of Philanthropy. There is a lot of talk these days about how California provides a counternarrative to the divisive, ill-considered policies of the federal gov…

The Hero’s Journey

July 12, 2018 | by

Students Reflect on How They Made It to a Four-Year Degree

Undocumented graduates’ stories show the value of investing in critical supports and services for a very vulnerable population.

People who study storytelling know that one of the universal themes found in the ancient stories of many cultures is the “hero’s journey.” During this journey, heroes grapple with fear, encounter guides who he…

Watch the Video

Welcoming Sepi Aghdaee

July 5, 2018 | by

Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund Hires New Program Officer

Sepi Aghdaee will support the Fund’s grantmaking across programs and issues, including longtime community partnerships in the Bay Area.

The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund announced today that it has hired Sepi Aghdaee as program officer. Sepi joins the Fund after a two-year fellowship with the San Francisco Foundation for emerging leaders in phila…

Statement on Family Separation and Detention

June 22, 2018 | by

Philanthropy Responds to Inhumane Family Separation and Detention Policies.

More than 200 institutions sign a statement in support of children and families seeking refuge in the United States.

This statement was originally published by Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR). In an effort to punish immigrants crossing the Southern border of the United States, the current adminis…

LGBT Rights After Masterpiece

June 11, 2018 | by

Federal Law Protecting LGBT People is Realistic and a Long-Overdue Goal

Supreme Court decision shows the work of protecting LGBT families from discrimination is not done.

We have made significant progress for LGBT equality in our country in recent years. Many of us hoped last week’s Supreme Court Masterpiece Cakeshop decision would help blaze another trail to end the discri…

It’s Time for a Federal Solution to LGBT Discrimination

June 11, 2018 | by

Masterpiece Cakeshop Decision Shows Need for National Protection for LGBT People

Supreme Court ruling opens door to wave of new anti-LGBT laws in the states, makes federal action essential to protect LGBT families.

This piece was published by The Advocate. In the wake of last week’s inconclusive Supreme Court decision in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, here’s a prediction o…

Voices from the Field

Hear insights, challenges and breakthroughs from our grantees’ inspiring work.

See all Stories

Cristina Jiménez

Advancing the Dream of Dignity for All Immigrants

The co-founder and executive director of United We Dream talks about how to move from fear to power in immigrant communities.

Watch this Video

First Person Stories

See the issues at the heart of our work through the eyes of those most closely affected.

See all Stories

Jirayut “New” Latthivongskorn

Future (undocumented) doctor

New once kept his undocumented status a secret from everyone outside his family. Today, he is proudly the first undocumented medical student at UCSF.

Read this Story