VGC Celebrates a Legacy of Impact

For twenty years, the student-initiated, donor-advised charitable fund Violets’ Giving Circle (VGC) has proven that Marlborough students don't need to wait for graduation to make an impact on the landscape of Los Angeles. What began in 2006 as a finance-focused program called “Dollars and Sense” has evolved into a powerhouse of student philanthropy. To date, VGC has granted nearly $500,000 towards the education and empowerment of women and girls across the city through their nonprofit partners.

To celebrate their 20th anniversary, VGC hosted an All-School Meeting (ASM) on February 17, inviting the "hometown heroes” who turn those grant dollars into real-world change. The panel featured Jennifer Quinones, Principal of New Village Girls Academy, alongside Marissa Espinoza and Judy Vaughan, Executive and Founding Directors of Alexandria House (respectively).

VGC Co-Chairs Ria D. ’26 and Paloma V. ’26 opened the ASM with a powerful reminder of why this work is so important. “We believe that this city cannot be a truly good place for any of us to live in,” Paloma shared, “unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in.”

The discussion moved beyond financial support into the heart of what it means to live in a city as complex as Los Angeles and do work that directly impacts and serves those in need. “We’ve been able to rise above every challenge that’s come knocking on our door, and we will continue to do so because it is what we do, it’s what is important to our community, and it’s our life’s work—we do human work,” Ms. Vaughan expressed. 

Centering the humanity at the heart of their work, Paloma asked what it means to be a good neighbor. The consistent theme in each panelist’s answer emphasized that the key is in finding common ground. Ms. Quinones said, "I think a good neighbor is that person or that organization that's reaching out to community partners and trying to figure out how we can make change together.”

Ms. Vaughan spoke to the power everyone has in contributing to a better tomorrow. “When I look out at this audience, what I know is each one of you, in your heart, you know what is happening in our world today and what it ought to be instead, what it ought to look like,” she said. “And I believe that each and every one of us has a choice and we can find some way to contribute, making what is right now become what it should be. We are a community. And how do we demonstrate that? How do we live that in our daily lives? Answering those questions thoughtfully helps us be good neighbors.” 

The most impactful moments of the panel discussion were when the speakers empowered students to take up the mantle of this work. They were not just sharing their own stories, they were passing the torch to the younger generation to continue the vital work of helping those in need.

Ms. Quinones encouraged students to lean into difficulty rather than shrinking from it, saying, "If there's a problem, for me, that looks like an opportunity to do something new. There's an opportunity to change something or to partner in different ways to be more impactful." Ms. Espinoza added, “You have so much power. Don’t ever let anyone dim that light.” 

Finally, Ms. Vaughan gave the students a tangible way to start: "Speak up if you hear something that sounds unjust or sounds like a stereotype. Practice with friends, but speak up."

As VGC enters its third decade, the message to the Marlborough community is clear: the next twenty years of progress won't just be funded by grants. It will be driven by students who endeavor to be good neighbors and by incredible organizations like New Village Girls Academy and Alexandria House that do meaningful work every day for the citizens of Los Angeles.