Leonardo Vilchis

Leonardo Vilchis, with Pico-Aliso residents, co-founded Union de Vecinos to stop the demolition of the projects. They won a contract for the 250 organized families to stay in the development. In 2007, Leonardo with local residents began a democratization project in Maywood to increase civic engagement, resulting in a movement that changed city government, removed anti-immigrant checkpoints, and fired a corrupt city police department. His experience has helped put Union de Vecinos, Eastside Local of the LA Tenants Union, in a leadership role against gentrification in Boyle Heights. Leonardo is also a co-founder of the Los Angeles Tenants Union.