Maria “Lou” Calanche believes in dreams. But Calanche, a community activist since her teens, knows that residents of the Ramona Gardens housing project need leadership skills to turn their dreams into reality. As Executive Director of the Boyle Heights non-profit Legacy LA, she works with parents and at-risk teens to find alternatives to the gangs, violence and drug addiction that perpetuate the cycle of incarceration, teen pregnancy and low graduation rates.

Headquartered in the former Hazard Park Armory it leases from the City of Los Angeles, Legacy LA offers programs in youth leadership, tutoring and gang intervention. New projects include a young men’s book club, cooking classes for teen girls and a mentoring program.

The California Endowment award will allow Legacy L.A., a start-up nonprofit based in Boyle Heights, to fund 10 'Dream Big' youth fellows, who will design anti-gang programming

LOS ANGELES (July 9, 2008) - Councilmember José Huizar today announced the awarding of $200,000 in funding for Legacy L.A., a grassroots nonprofit organization that plans to provide youth development services at the Hazard Park Armory in Boyle Heights. The funding comes from The California Endowment, a private statewide foundation with a focus on community health.