Becky Esparza, 64, Stanton (Los Angeles), CA

Becky Esparza is being recognized for helping curb violence in her neighborhood. When Latino youth complained that the police were harassing them, she brought the groups together and started a dialogue between them. Her courageousness won her praise from the community and police for helping stem the violence. Since then, Becky has built violence prevention programs in schools that reach over 45,000 youth and have resolved over 1,000 disputes each year. Becky is the president of the board of directors for the Orange County Human Relations Commission.