La Luz Receives Jefferson Award from Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.

On Tuesday, after a long and emotional Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
hearing focused on the tragic shooting death of Santa Rosa teen-ager Andy
Lopez,  the Board, led by Susan Gorin, presented La Luz Center with the
prestigious 2013 Jefferson Award for Public Service, recognizing La Luz for
"Excellence in Community Leadership and Civic Engagement." 

Given the morning's testimony it was particularly timely when La Luz
Executive Director Juan Hernandez addressed the filled assembly room. "I
invite the county to continue seeing La Luz Center as a partner in the work
to improve our Sonoma Valley." 
Twenty-nine organizations were nominated for the local awards, ten were
finalists and five awards were given.  The other recipients were Jesus
Guzman, Northern California Center for Well Being, Russian Riverkeeper, and
the Russian River Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

The mission of La Luz is to empower our community through education, leadership and self-advocacy.