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Portraits of LA
As part of this year’s LA2050 Grants Challenge, Goldhirsh Foundation and LA2050 artist in residence Man One is creating a series of portraits of a few of the many people who make an impact every day in Los Angeles.
Viet Thanh Nguyen
"This is just one of many important issues, but it has affected me and many others. LA needs more trees. I moved from an unshaded LA neighborhood to a very shady Pasadena area, and the difference is life-changing. Trees and shade are better for the environment, for humans, for children, for animals, for physical and mental health. Trees and shade should not be a privilege of the wealthier classes, but should be a part of any democratic and just place."
Refik Anadol
"The local issue that matters most to me is the accelerating climate reality we are living in. Heat that lingers longer each year, deepening drought, and wildfires that reshape both landscape and memory. Los Angeles is surrounded by an extraordinary yet fragile biodiversity, from coastal ecosystems to mountain habitats, all under immense pressure. I see this as the most urgent issue we need to address with the help of emerging technologies and data collection methods. We must learn to sense, protect, and coexist with these living systems, because the future of this city is inseparable from the health of its environment."
Meymuna Hussein-Cattan
“Immigrant and refugee support matters deeply to me as I was born in a refugee camp and have spent my life walking alongside families rebuilding after displacement. Los Angeles is shaped by the courage of those who cross borders in search of safety, dignity, and opportunity. When we invest in immigrant and refugee families, we strengthen small businesses, preserve culture, and build more resilient neighborhoods. Yet systemic barriers still limit access to housing, employment, and education. LA thrives when we create meaningful pathways to belonging and economic mobility for people who have already shown extraordinary resilience.”
Freya Estreller & Natasha Case
Freya: "Unsheltered homelessness. Full stop. In Los Angeles, people are living and deteriorating on our sidewalks. The longer someone stays outside, the harder and more expensive it is to stabilize them. It starts with getting people off the street quickly and with dignity - into safe interim housing before their health declines and they become deeply entrenched in the system. We know how to build faster and more cost-effectively. What’s missing is urgency and political will. I want my kids to grow up in a city that does hard things, acts boldly, and treats its most vulnerable neighbors like neighbors."
Natasha: "K-12 STEAM education in Los Angeles must reflect our city’s capacity for innovation. Creativity and technical skills are not separate; they are essential for the next generation of thinkers and makers who will define our future. We must be responsible, committed, and organized in our approach, ensuring the effective deployment of the significant capital already allocated to this mission. Our children deserve nothing less."
Andrea Savage
"As a proud second-generation Angeleno, I believe supporting local entrepreneurs is crucial to our city’s future. Whether it’s simplifying permitting or providing multilingual legal clinics for business owners, this kind of support helps keep neighborhoods not only unique and vibrant, but equally important: economically stable. Support for local businesses also helps our city lift up women, BIPOC, immigrants and other Los Angelenos who face genuine economic equity barriers. These are some of the people who bring the most dynamic ideas, flavors and creativity to LA, and we need to make sure they are here for generations to come!"
Viet Thanh Nguyen
"This is just one of many important issues, but it has affected me and many others. LA needs more trees. I moved from an unshaded LA neighborhood to a very shady Pasadena area, and the difference is life-changing. Trees and shade are better for the environment, for humans, for children, for animals, for physical and mental health. Trees and shade should not be a privilege of the wealthier classes, but should be a part of any democratic and just place."
Andrea Savage
"As a proud second-generation Angeleno, I believe supporting local entrepreneurs is crucial to our city’s future. Whether it’s simplifying permitting or providing multilingual legal clinics for business owners, this kind of support helps keep neighborhoods not only unique and vibrant, but equally important: economically stable. Support for local businesses also helps our city lift up women, BIPOC, immigrants and other Los Angelenos who face genuine economic equity barriers. These are some of the people who bring the most dynamic ideas, flavors and creativity to LA, and we need to make sure they are here for generations to come!"
Freya Estreller & Natasha Case
Freya: "Unsheltered homelessness. Full stop. In Los Angeles, people are living and deteriorating on our sidewalks. The longer someone stays outside, the harder and more expensive it is to stabilize them. It starts with getting people off the street quickly and with dignity - into safe interim housing before their health declines and they become deeply entrenched in the system. We know how to build faster and more cost-effectively. What’s missing is urgency and political will. I want my kids to grow up in a city that does hard things, acts boldly, and treats its most vulnerable neighbors like neighbors."
Natasha: "K-12 STEAM education in Los Angeles must reflect our city’s capacity for innovation. Creativity and technical skills are not separate; they are essential for the next generation of thinkers and makers who will define our future. We must be responsible, committed, and organized in our approach, ensuring the effective deployment of the significant capital already allocated to this mission. Our children deserve nothing less."
Meymuna Hussein-Cattan
“Immigrant and refugee support matters deeply to me as I was born in a refugee camp and have spent my life walking alongside families rebuilding after displacement. Los Angeles is shaped by the courage of those who cross borders in search of safety, dignity, and opportunity. When we invest in immigrant and refugee families, we strengthen small businesses, preserve culture, and build more resilient neighborhoods. Yet systemic barriers still limit access to housing, employment, and education. LA thrives when we create meaningful pathways to belonging and economic mobility for people who have already shown extraordinary resilience.”
Refik Anadol
"The local issue that matters most to me is the accelerating climate reality we are living in. Heat that lingers longer each year, deepening drought, and wildfires that reshape both landscape and memory. Los Angeles is surrounded by an extraordinary yet fragile biodiversity, from coastal ecosystems to mountain habitats, all under immense pressure. I see this as the most urgent issue we need to address with the help of emerging technologies and data collection methods. We must learn to sense, protect, and coexist with these living systems, because the future of this city is inseparable from the health of its environment."
Viet Thanh Nguyen
"This is just one of many important issues, but it has affected me and many others. LA needs more trees. I moved from an unshaded LA neighborhood to a very shady Pasadena area, and the difference is life-changing. Trees and shade are better for the environment, for humans, for children, for animals, for physical and mental health. Trees and shade should not be a privilege of the wealthier classes, but should be a part of any democratic and just place."
Meymuna Hussein-Cattan
“Immigrant and refugee support matters deeply to me as I was born in a refugee camp and have spent my life walking alongside families rebuilding after displacement. Los Angeles is shaped by the courage of those who cross borders in search of safety, dignity, and opportunity. When we invest in immigrant and refugee families, we strengthen small businesses, preserve culture, and build more resilient neighborhoods. Yet systemic barriers still limit access to housing, employment, and education. LA thrives when we create meaningful pathways to belonging and economic mobility for people who have already shown extraordinary resilience.”
Andrea Savage
"As a proud second-generation Angeleno, I believe supporting local entrepreneurs is crucial to our city’s future. Whether it’s simplifying permitting or providing multilingual legal clinics for business owners, this kind of support helps keep neighborhoods not only unique and vibrant, but equally important: economically stable. Support for local businesses also helps our city lift up women, BIPOC, immigrants and other Los Angelenos who face genuine economic equity barriers. These are some of the people who bring the most dynamic ideas, flavors and creativity to LA, and we need to make sure they are here for generations to come!"
Refik Anadol
"The local issue that matters most to me is the accelerating climate reality we are living in. Heat that lingers longer each year, deepening drought, and wildfires that reshape both landscape and memory. Los Angeles is surrounded by an extraordinary yet fragile biodiversity, from coastal ecosystems to mountain habitats, all under immense pressure. I see this as the most urgent issue we need to address with the help of emerging technologies and data collection methods. We must learn to sense, protect, and coexist with these living systems, because the future of this city is inseparable from the health of its environment."
Freya Estreller & Natasha Case
Freya: "Unsheltered homelessness. Full stop. In Los Angeles, people are living and deteriorating on our sidewalks. The longer someone stays outside, the harder and more expensive it is to stabilize them. It starts with getting people off the street quickly and with dignity - into safe interim housing before their health declines and they become deeply entrenched in the system. We know how to build faster and more cost-effectively. What’s missing is urgency and political will. I want my kids to grow up in a city that does hard things, acts boldly, and treats its most vulnerable neighbors like neighbors."
Natasha: "K-12 STEAM education in Los Angeles must reflect our city’s capacity for innovation. Creativity and technical skills are not separate; they are essential for the next generation of thinkers and makers who will define our future. We must be responsible, committed, and organized in our approach, ensuring the effective deployment of the significant capital already allocated to this mission. Our children deserve nothing less."
Funding Partner
The Goldhirsh Foundation, founder and organizer of the LA2050 Grants Challenge, providing $1 million in grant funds to organizations working on the top-voted issue areas.
Evaluation Partner
Social Justice Partners Los Angeles (SJPLA), serving as our external evaluation partner. SJP is a membership organization that connects community leaders to nonprofits to tackle Los Angeles’ toughest challenges. All proposals are reviewed, scored, and evaluated by members of SJPLA.
Media Partner
Upworthy is a media brand on a mission to share uplifting stories that foster positive connections — with the community, the world and our partners.