Meet our 2026–2027 Leadership Exchange Fellowship cohort! Building on their experience in SJPLA’s Racial Equity in Homelessness Fellowship, this year’s fellows are taking the next step in their leadership journeys through executive shadowing, mentorship, and professional growth.

After reviewing applications from leaders doing extraordinary work across Los Angeles, we selected a cohort bringing lived experience and a shared commitment to creating meaningful systems change.

From September through May, these fellows will come together each month to learn, and deepen their work alongside one another and the broader SJPLA community. They are tackling interconnected systemic issues through policy advocacy, narrative and culture shift, community organizing, and building power.

“I believe every Angeleno deserves the opportunity to feel well, be well, and experience a genuine sense of belonging and togetherness. Part of that requires dismantling the systems and ideas that have taught us to see ourselves as separate from one another. ”

The LA2050 Grants Challenge exists to put the power of grantmaking in the hands of Angelenos through public voting, while driving and tracking progress toward a shared vision for the future of LA. SJPLA’s partnership with the Goldhirsh Foundation is a long-term commitment to a community-centered funding model. It’s a model that strengthens as more community voices shape the process and helps resources reach organizations that traditional philanthropy too often overlooks. 

More than an event, Story of Us LA is a space where we recognize our collective power, see our role in systems change, and take meaningful action toward a more just and liberated future for our community. Through personal stories and authentic connection, we experienced what becomes possible when community shows up for one another.

Meeting this moment means investing in leaders who are already building tangible solutions across our city. Through our Systems Change Fellowship and upcoming Story of Us LA event, we support systems-impacted nonprofit leaders who are not only reimagining systems, but actively transforming them. Just as importantly, we create space for those leaders to share their stories and our greater community to take part in what comes next.

Community care is often described in aspirational visions which can feel painfully out of reach when you’re exhausted, underfunded, stretched thin, and trying to survive systems that were never designed to support you or the communities you care for. So the question becomes not whether community care is important, but what it actually looks like when resources are scarce and the work is relentless. Read on to learn more.

The recent traumatic events in Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and across the country have brought collective grief, reflection, and difficult conversations. At the same time, communities are responding with care: showing up for one another, calling for accountability, and reaffirming the inherent worth of every life. These responses remind us of a deeper truth — that collective wellbeing is not separate from justice, but central to it.

Wellbeing, at its core, means feeling supported, connected, seen, and resourced physically, mentally, and emotionally. And when many people in a community hold that sense of care and connection for one another, wellbeing becomes a collective strength, a foundation for justice, resilience, and flourishing.

It started with a question: How might we transform the homeless response sector in Los Angeles by expanding the foundation of care and wellbeing to include frontline workers? What if our workplaces could be spaces of healing, creativity, and joy — not simply sites of service?

Leadership Exchange Fellowship pairs ten BIPOC professionals in LA’s homeless response system with executive mentors. The Fellowship includes hands-on shadowing, executive coaching, and monthly programming led by Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum.

The goal: build a more inclusive and equitable leadership pipeline by giving emerging leaders access to the experiences, relationships, and support they need to grow into executive roles.

“My parents and grandparents immigrated to Los Angeles with little more than their dreams, searching for a better life. I grew up with my feet planted on one continent and my heart growing on another, with storytelling serving as the thread that wove my present to my family’s past.”

Last year, we adopted an investment policy that limits organizational reserves to six months of operating expenses, with any surplus funds going to the board for redistribution decisions. The policy reflects the organization's commitment to not hoard wealth and power, even during times of economic uncertainty.

Being Well, our first wellbeing gathering for frontline workers in LA's homeless response sector, brought together 78 participants from 56 organizations for two days of healing-centered programming. Post-event surveys showed 93% of participants reported improved personal wellbeing, with 96% saying the experience shifted their thinking about rest and care in their work.

This weekend, Los Angeles showed the world what it means to love and protect our people.

We're thrilled to share that Social Justice Partners LA has been selected as the Los Angeles Sparks' community partner for the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup!

“As some of you already know, I'm taking a leap into a new career adventure next month which unfortunately means leaving the team here at SJPLA. Before I go, I wanted to take a moment to share what this place has meant to me.”

Our community gathered to celebrate seven visionary Systems Change Fellows. The evening pulsed with energy described as 'inspired,' 'hopeful,' and 'connected,' as attendees committed to tangible actions—from direct financial support to amplifying stories and building partnerships.

We're proud to introduce the group of coaches working with this year's presenters. Each coach brings unique lived experience, creating a rich tapestry of support for our Fellows.

Over these last few weeks, we've witnessed the profound strength and solidarity of Los Angeles as we face the devastating impact of the fires and the destructive actions of a new Administration. The outpouring of mutual aid and solidarity highlights just how much we show up for each other in times of need. This spirit of community care becomes even more crucial as we navigate the immediate crises and the broader attacks on our communities.