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.
Rachel Baker

Rachel works to strengthen the field of leadership development for social change.
Cathy Cha

Cathy leads the Fund’s work to advance rights and create opportunities for all people.
Denis Chicola

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

Holly directs the Fund’s flagship leadership investment program, which helps grantees to build the leadership they need to reach their goals.
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

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…

California Campus Catalyst Fund

April 9, 2018 | by

Helping Dreamers find safety and support on campus

New initiative supports California colleges and universities to offer expanded services for undocumented students and their families.

I am excited to share news about a new initiative that will help undocumented young people in California find urgently needed support at a time of unshakable anxiety and fear in their lives. Right now, in C…

Jon Davidson

No Time to Sit Back

Longtime civil rights leader Jon Davidson discusses the urgency of this moment for LGBT equality, and the enduring power of telling stories.

Since the dawn of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, Jon Davidson has played an integral role in the push for equality and justice for LGBT people across the United States. In this video, he reflects on the historic prog…

Watch the Video

Masen Davis

Fighting Fear Together

Longtime activist Masen Davis reflects on his leadership role in the movement to fight discrimination against LGBT people.

Since graduating from college in the early 1990s, Masen Davis has spent his entire career working to advance LGBT equality. Today, he is CEO of Freedom for All Americans Education Fund, a bipartisan campaign to…

Watch the Video

Eric Cohen

“Immigration Makes Us Better”

Immigrant Legal Resource Center’s Eric Cohen talks about how immigration contributes to a thriving democracy, and why it’s so important to support immigrants to become U.S. citizens.

Across the nation, 8.8 million immigrants are eligible to apply to become U.S. citizens. In this video, Eric Cohen, executive director of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), describes the importance of…

Watch the Video

Janson Wu

How We Are Going to Move Forward

With new threats looming, GLAD’s executive director reflects on the ongoing legal struggle to protect and defend LGBTQ equality.

In 2017, GLAD (GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders) joined with the National Center for Lesbian Rights to challenge the Trump administration’s ban on transgender people serving in the U.S. military—and won. It was j…

Watch the Video

Voices from the Field

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

See all Stories

Cynthia Buiza

Executive Director, California Immigrant Policy Center

Recognizing trailblazing Asian American women who are leading and influencing social justice movements in California.

Read this Story

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

Cynthia Buiza

Executive Director, California Immigrant Policy Center

A Park For All

An Immigrant’s Perspective on Crissy Field

Lessons from California

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

Statement on Family Separation and Detention

Philanthropy Responds to Inhumane Family Separation and Detention Policies.

Cristina Jiménez

Advancing the Dream of Dignity for All Immigrants

Every Voice Shines New Light

Our Contributors