All three WLI cohorts were selected using an intentional process that considered a variety of factors to ensure true representation. Inspired by the community-based program design and grantmaking model, cohort members took the lead in identifying and selecting the second and third cohorts. As a community, the majority of Watts’ residents are Latino/a, and nearly all are Latino/a or Black. Most live in, or identify with, one of the local housing developments: Gonzaque Village, Imperial Courts, Jordan Downs, and Nickerson Gardens. These demographics were considered during each cohort’s selection process. Additionally, cohort members’ service areas represent diverse programming efforts, including violence prevention, youth services, health and wellness programming, creative expression, education, and disability access. Finally, each cohort candidate’s current strengths, needs, capacity, and skills – along with their ability to make a long-term commitment to WLI engagement – were also considered as part of the selection process.
INAUGURAL COHORT
ADRIAN ACOSTA
Adrian Acosta founded The Ed Agency in 2012 and has been the Executive Director since. With a deep passion for giving educational support in communities of need; The Ed Agency offers Ed Agents, Educational Counseling, and the Community Resiliency Model (CRM) sessions. The Ed Agency focuses on addressing mental health and well-being in education. Adrian is an educator with years of experience working both inside the classroom and outside of the classroom.
MICHAEL CUMMINGS
Elder Michael Cummings, also known as “Big Mike,” is a violence prevention specialist who uses his leadership skills, personal history, and deep roots in the community to create safe streets for youth and opportunities for families in Watts. With his wife, Sauna, Elder Cummings founded We Care Outreach Ministries in 1999 to improve the quality of life for residents, restore hope, and strengthen families. Elder Cummings is a member of numerous community groups, including the Watts Gang Taskforce. Elder Cummings was honored by President Barack Obama’s Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative and was named an Ambassador of Peace by California State Senator Roderick Wright.
JOHN JONES III
Alongside his father, John Jones III founded the East Side Riders Bike Club (ESR) in 2008. After connecting with peers at the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition and the Watts Labor Community Action Committee, John quickly learned that there was little advocacy around bike safety in Watts, including an absence of bike lanes. John works to integrate an advocacy component into ESR’s mission and programming.
AMADA VALLE
BRIGHT WATTS
In 1982, Amada Valle migrated to the United States from Mexico in pursuit of the American dream: socio-economic stability and subsequent upward mobility. She established residence in South Central Los Angeles where her community engagement began. Since then, Amada has served as an active spokesperson for her community, specifically in the Joran Down’s Housing Development. She founded Bright Watts to build a unified and safe community.
KATHY WOOTEN
Kathy Wooten is a life-long resident of Watts. In 2008, two of Kathy’s sons were killed as the result of gang violence. She turned her grief into action and healing, sparking a commitment to serving other mothers and families whose loved ones have experienced the death of a child or sibling. Eager to initiate efforts on her own and honor the memory of her sons Branden and Kejuan Bullard, in 2008 Kathy founded the Bullard Foundation, which is now known as Loving Hands Community Care (LHCC). The mission of LHCC is to engage all people from all communities to bridge the gap between fear and forgiveness.
ARTURO YBARRA
WATTS CENTURY LATINO ORGANIZATION
Arturo Ybarra founded and was the Executive Director of the Watts Century Latino Organization. For more than three decades, he was a dedicated organizer and activist focused on housing, violence prevention, education reform, and local environmental issues. Founded in 1990, Watts/Century Latino Organization is dedicated to supporting the development of healthy neighborhoods and self-sufficient families.
In July of 2023, Mr. Ybarra passed away leaving behind a legacy of unity and activism for his community.
COHORT 2
LAVERN CLARK
COMMUNITY LEADER
Lavern Clark is the founder of Beating Cancer, a program based at Morningstar Baptist Church that raises awareness about cancer and provides support to cancer patients, survivors, and their families. Lavern started the program in 2012 after she faced a cancer scare and after she witnessed her aunt and cousin battle the disease.
LEONARD "BUCK" CLARK
COMMUNITY LEADER
Leonard “Buck” Clark dedicates his life to the youth of Watts. He is an intervention worker, a mentor, a basketball coach, a musician, a faith leader, a father, and a grandfather. Buck’s personal journey included gang involvement and a resulting injury. He is committed to helping youth see that they can have a better future.
KEISHA DANIELS
Keisha Daniels is the Co-Founder & COO of Sisters of Watts, a community-driven, nonprofit dedicated to empowering the community. Keisha’s love for people and youth has made her a great role model to many. As a community leader, she has an open-door policy to those who need her. She leads by example, always encouraging others to stay positive. Seeing the need for additional programming in Watts, she vowed to make a change in her community.
ROBIN DANIELS
Robin Daniels is the Co-Founder & CEO of Sisters of Watts. She has dedicated her life to being a voice for those who need an advocate for positive change, serving others, and representing her city with pride. Her desire is to bring her community of Watts together. Her goal is always to unify and uplift people no matter their race, socio-economic status, gender or abilities. Robin is always active in her community and can always be seen making a positive impact in Watts.
JACQUELINE EVANS
Growing up in South Central LA, Jackie bore witness to countless injustices within her neighborhood including the growing epidemic of health conditions in people of color, affecting not only adults within the community, but their children as well. When she was young, her father, and sole provider, fell ill. Having her father in and out of the hospital took a massive toll on her life. That led to Jackie co-founding Voices of Impact, with the purpose of reminding children growing up in underserved communities that their circumstances do not define them.
MIYANA EVANS
Miyana Evans is the Director of Programs at Voices of Impact. She is responsible for overseeing the programs, spending most of her time implementing and setting goals according to the strategic objectives of the organization. She is a UCLA graduate and spent most of her undergraduate year working with at-risk high school students throughout LAUSD. Her passion for inspiring and empowering youth to overcome obstacles and chase their dreams led her to Voices of Impact.
BLANCA GONZALEZ
COMMUNITY LEADER
Blanca Gonzalez is hardworking, passionate, an avid learner, and an active member of her community. Over the years, Blanca has worn many different hats as a community leader. Most notably, Blanca is part of the Gonzaque Village RAC (Resident Advisory Committee) and has served as the president for three years. She also sits on the Housing Authority Resident Advisory Council (HARAC). In the past few years, Blanca obtained certification as a Community Resilience Model (CRM) trainer.
SHEKALIA JOHNSON
Shekalia Johnson is the co-founder and Executive Director of Voices of Impact. She is responsible for overseeing program operations, establishing partnerships with key stakeholders, and ensuring that the needs and concerns of the families they serve are recognized, addressed, and corrected. Prior to founding Voices of Impact, she worked in a variety of industries but what truly made her heart sing was working and volunteering extensively with local nonprofits serving underrepresented groups.
DIMITRIOS JONES
Dimitrios Jones is the founder and Executive Director of The People of Change. He has worked as a community worker, counselor in New York, and community organizer in South Central LA and Compton. His diverse experience helps guide his passion for change in the urban communities he serves. His role as a community organizer in Watts sparked his interest in founding The People of Change after noticing many needs including education, income, and quality of living gaps.
JUANA ORTEGA
COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR
Juana Ortega has always liked to help other people, giving good advice, finding beneficial resources, and motivating others to raise their voice and be heard. Presently she is involved in different leadership groups in Watts where she demonstrates her deep commitment to her community. Since December 2019, Juana has served as the President of the Resident Advisory Council (RAC) of Imperial Courts. Her priority in this role is to uphold unity and equality among the residents and looking for resources that benefit all.
MANUELA VARELA
COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR
Manuela looks at the needs of everyone equally, regardless of age or race. Manuela served on the Jordan Down’s Resident Advisory Council (RAC) encouraging women to interact with one another and seek help for the community. Manuela also served as a community coach. In everything she does, she wants her community to be aware of what is going on and have resources.
COHORT 3
KRISTAL GILMORE
COMMUNITY LEADER
Kristal P. Gilmore is a dynamic individual whose life journey has been deeply intertwined with the Nickerson Garden Housing Development. Born and raised in Watts, Kristal has emerged as a prominent figure and a beacon of inspiration. As the founder and CEO of the Yung Power Foundation, she has dedicated her life to breaking barriers and making a positive impact on the lives of those around her. Yung Power Foundation focuses on empowerment, mental and physical health, and accessing resources. Kristal channels her passion into meaningful initiatives aimed at uplifting the next generation. Her sense of duty is deeply rooted in her belief that awareness, education, and positive reinforcement are essential components of community empowerment.
JORGE GONZALEZ
Jorge is the Executive Director of 5LA Nuevo Comienzo, whose purpose is to strengthen the relationship between parents and their children, offers opportunities for sports and outings to national parks, and provides access to resources. He is a licensed boxing coach affiliated with the United States Boxing Organization. As a result, he is able to offer coaching in fitness and boxing as part of 5LA Nuevo Comienzo’s programming for those children who are interested.
Jorge is also a part of the Advisory Group of Watts Rising, has his certification for the Watts Community Emergency Response Team, and is currently working as a Community Health worker at Southern California Crossroads.
MIGUEL GONZALEZ
COMMUNITY LEADER
Miguel Gonzalez was born in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. He came to the U.S. at the age of 18 to find the American Dream. Miguel started collaborating in different communities around South LA teaching folklórico dances and teaching arts in community schools as a volunteer. Over the years, Miguel has worked and volunteered with a variety of organizations committed to community change. He participated in the Urban Peace Institute (UPI) leadership training. Miguel is an advocate for LGBTQ rights. He has been working as a volunteer with Bienestar for nearly a decade since he came out as a gay Latino man. He continues to work in South LA and Watts to support the LGBTQ community.
LATANNA (SHAWN) LAMPLEY
HOME OF KINGS & QUEENS
Latanna (Shawn) Lampley was raised in South LA, Compton, and Inglewood. She has volunteered for various nonprofits in Watts, including Head Start. Her work in these organizations inspired her to consider founding a nonprofit that centered around dignity and pride. She had seen the negative impact of drugs on families during her work in these various communities. She was also inspired by her own background. As a child, she benefited from two local nonprofits that provided free meals and she witnessed the challenges that drugs caused in her own family.
Latanna founded Home of Kings and Queens in 2019 to make a positive difference for families throughout LA County.
RAUL PANUCO
COMMUNITY LEADER
Raul Panuco Jr. grew up in Jordan Downs Housing Development with a passion for photography. Raul worked with Shields for Families, first as a volunteer and then as an employee, his skill with photography led to his promotion within the organization. This opened new doors for him, including the opportunity to work with the Spirit of Oya production company, with whom he still collaborates today. Raul sees the arts as helpful for healing and creative expression. He would like to make photography more accessible for youth in Watts and neighboring communities. As he continues his journey, he is working towards building a space where he can provide the youth and those who still want to achieve their creative media dreams with resources to guide them into the right direction for a career in the media arts.
SHANY VELA
FAVOR
Having grown up in Koreatown, a place Shany once wanted to escape, her teenage years were marked by struggles — drug and alcohol addiction, lack of motivation in school, and an abusive relationship. Her life took a transformative turn when she discovered the presence of God. This revelation led to a beautiful life—a loving husband, wonderful children, and a sense of purpose.
Shany began volunteering in education settings, including at her brother’s school and at The Help Group for five years. Her journey then took her to Watts, where she has become a member of the Resident Advisory Council (RAC) of Jordan Downs, a board member at Watts Healthcare, and the founder of FAVOR, a nonprofit focused on empowering parents and strengthening families.
JENNIFER WILLIAMS
COMMUNITY LEADER
Jennifer was born and raised in Watts, in the Housing Development Gonzaque Village. She has always been interested in caring for others. As a small child, her promise to herself was that upon becoming a business owner, she would give back to the community from where she came. Jennifer is humbly proud to say that since 2022, she and her family have sponsored three giveback events in Gonzaque Village. The events came with great joy and reward as she and her family blessed residents in Gonzaque Village with food distributions.
Jennifer aims to start a nonprofit organization focused on emotional well-being serving children and adults in Watts. Her desire is to lead an organization that strives to replace violence with the strong morals and values that once made the Watts community family-oriented, strong, and safe.
