Local Heroes

Local Heroes

In our ongoing commitment to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, KCET and Union Bank honor local heroes for their dedication and commitment to enrich the lives of others.

About Local Heroes

Each year KCET collects nominations to celebrate outstanding individuals in our communities.
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Heritage Months
2013 Heroes
Local Hero: Robert García
Local Heroes

Local Hero: Robert García

Hispanic Heritage Month:
Robert García is Founding Director and Counsel of The City Project, a nonprofit legal and policy advocacy team based in Los Angeles that engages, educates and empowers communities of color and low-income communities to seek equal justice, democracy, and livability for all.
Local Hero: Father Richard Estrada
Local Heroes

Local Hero: Father Richard Estrada

Hispanic Heritage Month:
Father Richard Estrada is the Founder and President of the Board of Directors of Jovenes, Inc., a nonprofit organization in Los Angeles' Boyle Heights area that is a place of personal transformation for homeless youth, helping them become active and integrated members of the community.
Local Hero: Thomas T. Carpenter, Esq.
Local Heroes

Local Hero: Thomas T. Carpenter, Esq.

LGBT Pride Month:
The fight for equal treatment of the LGBT community in the military became a personal mission for Thomas T. Carpenter Esq. He served from 1970 to 1976 in the U.S. Marine Corps, piloted the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, protected the nation as a respected Captain, served in the Marine Reserves until 1982 and was forced to camouflage his sexual orientation.
Local Hero: Kalil Cohen
Local Heroes

Local Hero: Kalil Cohen

LGBT Pride Month:
Kalil Cohen is an artist advocate who uses his creative talent to organize and empower the transgender community. His work as a nationally touring educator, speaker, filmmaker, performer and founder of the Los Angeles Transgender Film Festival (LATFF) has positioned the 30 year old as a preeminent voice that continues to break barriers.
Local Hero: Madame Sosei Matsumoto
Local Heroes

Local Hero: Madame Sosei Matsumoto

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month:
Japanese Tea Ceremony Master Madame Sosei Matsumoto has paved the way for the preservation and recognition of the little-known Japanese art form known as chado, or "way of tea,"in the United States.
Local Hero: Nobuko Miyamoto
Local Heroes

Local Hero: Nobuko Miyamoto

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month:
In a city where cultures often collide, Nobuko Miyamoto, artistic director and founder of Great Leap, has set out to harmonize relations through the use of the performing arts.
Local Hero: Janice Kamenir-Reznik
Local Heroes

Local Hero: Janice Kamenir-Reznik

Jewish American Heritage Month:
Fighting against genocide and mass atrocities is at the heart of Janice Kamenir-Reznik and Jewish World Watch (JWW), the nonprofit she co-founded and serves as president.
Local Hero: Harry Corre
Local Heroes

Local Hero: Harry Corre

Jewish American Heritage Month:
"My goal is to help as many Veterans as possible in any way within my authority." Having served as a World War II veteran and prisoner-of-war, Harry Corre knows all too well what soldiers have been through....
Local Hero: Belinda Smith Walker
Local Heroes

Local Hero: Belinda Smith Walker

Women's History Month:
"America's promise - opportunity - is the best hope for mankind's future. For all to survive, we each must bring opportunity to those who have it least."
Local Heroes: Gail Farber
Local Heroes

Local Heroes: Gail Farber

Women's History Month:
"Inspiration is born of passion and I am passionate about inspiring women to seek and succeed in non-traditional roles."
Local Hero: Dr. Richard Allen Williams
Local Heroes

Local Hero: Dr. Richard Allen Williams

Black History Month:
Richard Allen Williams, MD, FACC and FAHA, has made it his mission to improve the health of all people while recognizing the particular medical issues affecting African Americans and other minorities through his nonprofit organization, Minority Health Institute, Inc. (MHI).
Local Hero: Angeles Echols-Brown
Local Heroes

Local Hero: Angeles Echols-Brown

Black History Month:
Mrs. Angeles Echols-Brown and her Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization, Educating Young Minds (EYM), are building a better tomorrow for inner-city students.
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