Raised in the Inland Empire, Diana is an urban planner molded by her community’s dedication to confront environmental racism and create built environments that serve the needs of families. Diana earned her Bachelor’s degree in Policy, Planning and Development from the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California, leading her to work for the Mayor’s Office, Councilmember Marqueece Harris Dawson, the LA City Planning Department and Brilliant Corners, a supportive housing nonprofit. Dedicated to dismantling barriers to opportunity across racial and economic lines, she has managed the entitlement process for 50+ housing and commercial developments, led grant writing campaigns that garnered 10M+ in funding for affordable housing, and collaborated with LA County to increase food security during COVID-19 for seniors living in supportive housing by establishing a partnership with local grocers.

Diana joins the T.R.U.S.T South LA team in 2021 as the Community Land Trust Project Manager where she supports the Community Mosaic Project implementation and participates in anti-displacement strategies alongside residents and partners.

Diana is rooted by the advocacy of immigrant women who shaped her world, namely her organizer mom, and the perseverance of the Black and Latinx neighborhoods that boldly create more livable cities. Diana is based in Lincoln Heights, enjoys wandering local parks with her dog Julio aka “J.J.”, listening to her neighbors blast oldies, and spending time with her family.

Arlon joined T.R.U.S.T. South LA in 2019.  She has 11 years experience as an Executive Assistant to the CIO in one of the largest banks in the Philippines.  She has a degree in Business Management.  She is part of the team that handles the day to day operation of T.R.U.S.T. office, providing clerical support, updating member files, social media and website management.

Lillian Washington was born and raised in Watts/South Central Los Angeles. Lillian started to get involved with her community through Community Coalition as a freshman in high school; seeing the injustice and hardships of her peers, she decided to take a stand.  Lillian interacted and articulated the demands of community and students to actors/actresses, government officials that included: Rene Russo, Earl “ Magic” Johnson, Maxine Waters, Karen Bass, Bernard Parks, Mark Riley Thomas, Board of Education, and Arnie Duncan Superintendent of Education.  Flash forward 11 years, Lillian, now a mother of one has felt being a consistent part of her community is the first step to making a change in the world and leaving an excellent path for the next generations to come. Ms. Washington is a Coordinator for the Emergency Rent Assitance Program and will be supporting outreach efforts.

Since coming to the organization in 2014, I’ve participated and supported TRUST’s events, programs, and staff. I think this work around land and housing is the most important work I could do as a Leader, and I am very happy to be an active member of TRUST South LA. I feel the most proud when I am inviting new community members to our organization, leading and helping facilitate our meetings and events, and giving input on our programs and work. I’m very proud to represent TRUST South LA in all spaces I am a part of.

I was born and raised in South Los Angeles. Growing up I saw and heard of people struggling to pay the rent and that problem has been getting worse as rents have gone up. I am part of this organization because I want to help preserve and create affordable housing and prevent the rise of homelessness and displacement.

Ms. McNeill has been involved in community building work for over twenty years, working with community-based organizations and coalitions, which have each approached the problem of wealth and resource inequality through a range of strategies.

As principal of Sandra McNeill Consulting, Ms. McNeill is committed to enhancing the capacity of non-profit organizations and community-based initiatives by offering her experience, skills and services in policy and program development, community education and technical capacity-building, and strategic planning for organizations and campaigns.  From 2007 to 2017, Ms. McNeill served as the Executive Director of T.R.U.S.T. South LA (Tenemos que Reclamar y Unidos Salvar la Tierra-South LA). Her previous work also includes co-founding Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE), an economic justice organizing group, and coordinating the Figueroa Corridor Coalition for Economic Justice (predecessor to UNIDAD) and the Share the Wealth coalition

Ms. McNeill holds a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning, with a concentration in Community Economic Development, from University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA); and currently instructs the Community Collaborative program at UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs. She also holds a Bachelor of the Arts in Political Science, with a minor in Spanish Language and Literature, from Williams College in Massachusetts.

Sheila Sy is committed to defending the ability of communities of color to be together and thrive. She draws upon her personal experience as a second generation Cambodian refugee and history with T.R.U.S.T. South LA to support organizational development through strategic planning, grant writing, and advising in her role as a consultant. Sheila served on staff from 2014-2017 as Community Development Manager. In addition to her current role with T.R.U.S.T., she runs her own consulting business, serves in a national leadership role with the Southeast Asian Freedom Network, and is preparing to begin a doctoral program in urban planning to research generational displacement in the Cambodian community and Southeast Asian refugee feminism. Sheila is based in Long Beach. She loves yoga, the Blue Line, and cats.

Katynja McCory is a community and nonprofit development
professional who grew up in South Los Angeles and was a
student leader at UCLA. Her career has spanned from the
Community Coalition which she helped build to the campaigns
of President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton. Her work is rooted in the belief that social and
economic justice is a critical part of the American dream.
Katynja has implemented new data, development, and
organizing processes locally for Cedars Sinai, the Democratic
Party, and Airbnb. Katynja’s work has been featured in the
Associated Press, People Magazine, and on Oprah. She has
been honored by President Bill Clinton for her efforts as well.

Gabriela Nunez was born and raised in South Los Angeles. She has been volunteering weekly at T.R.U.S.T. South LA since summer 2017. At T.R.U.S.T. South LA, Gabriela has been involved in projects like the “Welcome to Our Neighborhood Dream” Slauson & Wall community event and their resident-led Sustainable and Stable Slauson plan. In addition, she has worked in T.R.U.S.T.’s office; organizing files, drafting and publishing bilingual social media posts, drafting letters, and assisting with many other clerical needs. She is earning her Bachelor’s degree from California State University, Los Ángeles, majoring in Political Science and minoring in Chicana/o Latina/o Studies.

Siris Barrios serves as the Emergency Rent Assistance Program (ERAP) Manager. Ms. Barrios is an expert in developing and implementing social impact initiatives that centered around community organizing. In the last seven years, Ms. Barrios organized stakeholders around placemaking strategies that inform land entitlements that resulted in Community Benefits Agreement embedded into new zoning. Ms. Barrios is a geographer and community action researcher with nearly 25 years of community organizing experience.

Previously Ms. Barrios served as Director of Youth Programs at Community Coalition; a prominent nonprofit organization based in South Los Angeles established by Congresswoman Karen Bass. Ms. Barrios had the opportunity to work on the “Communities Rising,” a community-organizing space-based redevelopment model focus on resident engagement.

She was born in El Salvador and raised in Los Angeles (Watts), California, and has explored fourteen countries. Ms. Barrios loves spending time with her two boys, her husband, and her family.