About the 2008 American Express Building Leadership Award Recipient Center for Community Change, Washington, DC Founded in 1968 with one of the first grants from the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Fund, the Center builds leadership by providing grassroots organizations with the tools and expertise they need to improve lives in low-income communities and communities of color and to take action on issues such as housing, education, and health care. The organization empowers nonprofits nationwide to take the lead in projecting social justice values into the public debate, and also increases the leadership skills of its staff.

About the 2007 American Express Building Leadership Award Recipient WITNESS, Brooklyn, New York Founded in 1992 by musician and activist Peter Gabriel and the Reebok Human Rights Foundation, WITNESS trains organizations to use video and online technologies to increase awareness of human rights violations. In doing so, the organization empowers groups within the global human rights community to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice and policy change. Through its Core Partners program, WITNESS provides hands-on video training for grassroots organizations in the United States and around the world that advocate for political, social, and economic rights to help them become more effective advocates for their respective causes.

About the 2006 Leadership IS Award Recipient Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties, California

One of the over 200 autonomous members of Goodwill Industries International, Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties creates solutions to poverty through workforce creation and environmental stewardship. With 17 retail stores, a growing online store, and an extensive reuse/recycling operation, San Francisco Goodwill helps people overcome barriers to employment, build sustainable livelihoods, and transform their lives and communities.

About the 2005 Leadership IS Award Recipient National Hispana Leadership Institute, Arlington, VA

The National Hispana Leadership Institute is the only national leadership program in the country that focuses on the building of leadership skills of Hispanic women. Through its leadership courses, breakfasts and conferences, and mentoring programs, NHLI works to train, motivate, and build a network to influence decision making and inspire Latinas to reach more influential positions in society.

About the 2005 Leadership IS Award Honorable Mention New Jersey SEEDS, Newark, NJ

New Jersey SEEDS is an academic enrichment and leadership development program based in Newark aimed at eliminating economic and social barriers for low-income, high-achieving youth living in urban areas.

About the 2004 Leadership IS Award Recipient Western Law Center for Disability Rights, Los Angeles, CA

The Western Law Center for Disability Rights promotes the rights of people with disabilities and the public interest in and awareness of those rights by providing legal and related services. The Center embodies and promotes an inclusive and diverse community by empowering groups that have been disenfranchised and hiring and mentoring people who reflect the community, including people with disabilities and members of minority communities.

About the 2004 Leadership IS Award Honorable Mention Orange County Human Relations Council, Santa Ana, CA

Orange County Human Relations Council works to improve inter-group relations, organize community-building initiatives through collaboration with diverse organizations and residents, and provide a broad spectrum of dispute resolution and prevention services. OC Human Relations works with low income, gay and lesbian, immigrant, Latinos, African Americans, Asians and religious communities that have not had access to the civic engagement process. OC Human Relations involves young people in the leadership of their organization through youth participation in the board, summer sessions for youth that raise awareness about human relations and social justice issues, and leadership development opportunities in human relations.

Southern Mutual Help Association's mission is to find fair and innovative solutions to challenged rural communities in Louisiana through self help, partnerships, and the just management of resources. SMHA's special focus is with distressed rural communities whose livelihoods are interdependent with land and waters. SMHA works primarily with agricultural and pervasively poor communities, women and people of color. SMHA helps build rural communities through people's growth in their own empowerment and the just management of resources.

About the 2002 Leadership IS Award Recipient

The ASPIRA Association, Washington, DC

The ASPIRA Association is the only national nonprofit organization devoted solely to the education and leadership development of Puerto Rican and other Latino youth through advocacy and education programs. ASPIRA's mission is predicated on the belief that Puerto Ricans and Latinos have the collective potential to move their community forward. Its process of leadership development teaches youth to analyze their lives and seek change for the betterment of their personal lives and the life of their communities.

Mission: The Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) is a resident-led, nonprofit, community-based planning and organizing entity based in the Roxbury/North Dorchester area of Boston. DSNI's mission is to empower Dudley residents to organize, plan for, create, and control a vibrant, diverse, high-quality neighborhood in collaboration with community partners.

About the 2000 Leadership IS Award Recipient

The Young Women's Project, Washington, DC

The Young Women's Project is a multi-cultural organization that builds and supports teen women and girl leaders so that they can improve their own lives and transform their communities. Through a structured program of training, information, skills, tools, and knowledge, YWP takes young women through a process where they realize and develop their own power; trust and support each other; and use their skills and knowledge to create projects that strengthen the broader community.

About the 1999 Leadership IS Award Recipient

The Mar Vista Family Center, Culver City, CA

The Center works with the low-income community of Mar Vista to create family independence, community cohesion, self-sufficiency, and non-violence. It uses the "asset development" model and develops resources readily available in low-income communities - the families themselves -- to build human capital to create positive living and learning environments. Central to the development of healthy communities is the emergence of local leaders who can identify assets, model appropriate behaviors and create partnerships among residents, schools, social service, economic and government agencies. Mar Vista Family Center's unique service model helped to develop such community leaders and empowers people to work for the betterment of their community.