The 2024 Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt was bigger and better than ever. In its fourth edition, Greenbelt Alliance’s annual benefit honored three local government champions advancing impactful policies and plans to boost climate resilience in the Bay Area.
On August 28, we welcomed almost 250 guests at Oakland’s historic Preservation Park on a warm, summer night to mingle over drinks, engage with community partners, and honor three amazing climate resilience champions: Misti Arias, Lakshmi Rajagopalan, and Michael Brilliot.
We had so much fun activating the park with the Brazilian-fusion jams of Karambá band, live screen-printing, Off the Grid food trucks, and our amazing community who came out to celebrate the power of community.
Thank you to our partners from Hood Planning, Ninth Root, the Oakland Alameda Shoreline Adaptation Committee, and the City of Oakland for engaging the crowd with your important work and resources. And thank you to all who attended this memorable Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt 2024. We can’t wait to see you all next year!
A Conversation on Land and Resilience
This year’s Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt awardees are protecting open spaces and agricultural lands, removing barriers to building more affordable housing, and taking a holistic approach to planning the ways we build and use our cities.
The 2024 Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt awardees are:
- Misti Arias | General Manager at the Sonoma Agriculture and Open Space District / Recognized for her work in fostering nature-based climate adaptation.
- Lakshmi Rajagopalan| Planner IV at the City of Oakland Bureau of Planning /Recognized for her work to promote abundant climate-smart housing.
- Michael Brilliot | Urban Planner and Retired Deputy Director in the Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement at the City of San José / Recognized for his work in planning for resilience.
Learn a lot more about their stories by checking out the amazing videos:
Our Heroes’ stories were highlighted in an inspiring panel facilitated by People and Culture Manager, Princess Washington.
During the conversation, Misti Arias discussed the importance of conservation easements, Lakshmi Rajagopalan explored the racial and social intersectionality of climate-smart and affordable housing, and Michael Brilliot explained how stopping sprawl development in places like Coyote Valley creates healthier communities and habitats.
Together, our 2024 Hidden Heroes are spearheading land use policies that are protecting our region’s lands and the communities who depend on them for years to come.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
This event would not be possible without the unwavering support of generous donors, some of whom have been supporting our work for many years. Thank you to our generous donors for Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt 2024.
Natural Lands Sponsors
AT&T | Build It Green | East Bay Municipal Utility District | East Bay Regional Park District | FM3 | Insperity | Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) | Moffatt & Nichol | Morley Bros. | Port of Oakland | Sonoma Land Trust | Stanford University | Transform | Triad Lagoon Valley | Valley Water
Conservation Education Sponsors
Alta Housing | BART | Bay Area Air Quality Management District | Brookfield Properties | Community Planning Collaborative | Enterprise Community Partners | HOK | Housing Action Coalition | Kamangar Consulting | MidPen Housing | Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District | Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California | PlaceWorks | Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority | Shining Star Consulting | SOMO Village | Sonoma County Ag + Open Space | The Nature Conservancy | WRT
