Please welcome three new contributors to RIPPLE OF HOPE

We have recruited three new contributors to our team, each of whom brings a unique background and unique interests and expertise to our endeavor:

Paul Hernandez has over ten years of experience working on critical policy issues, and he currently is Manager of Public Affairs for The California Endowment, the state's largest nonprofit health foundation. When he gets a chance to pull away from the rubber chicken charity dinner circuit, Paul can be found trying to convince his wife Martha, why he needs to watch highlights of his beloved L.A. Lakers or U.C. Berkeley "Cal" Golden Bears on Sportscenter for the third time. (Read more about Paul here.)

Lucy Okumu is Legislative Advocate for the Los Angeles Unified School District and has extensive experience in education policy at the local and state level. Lucy’s family immigrated to the United States from Uganda when she was six years old.  Lucy's personal and professional goals to pursue justice, equity, and democracy for all are grounded in her mother's tireless activism against an oppressive dictatorship. (Read more about Lucy here.)

Angelo Williams is the Education Policy and Economic Development Consultant to California State Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero. Before working for the majority leader, Angelo severed as Director of Legislation and Press Deputy to California State Assemblyman Carl Washington. Angelo (aka Uncle Lo Lo) is a guest lecturer and published author of comparative history and social anthropology. His nieces and nephews think he’s the funniest man alive. (Read more about Angelo here.)

On behalf of the other contributors and all of our readers and subscribers, welcome!