LONG BEACH, CA – Long Beach City College
(LBCC) student, Edgar Rosales, has been selected as a 2025
honoree of The
Courage Project, a national recognition awarded to only
12 individuals or organizations across the country who
demonstrate extraordinary courage and compassion within their
communities. Rosales was honored for his leadership at LBCC and
his unwavering commitment to empowering unhoused and low-income
students.
“Edgar’s courageous leadership represents the very best of Long
Beach City College,” said Uduak-Joe Ntuk, President of the Long
Beach Community College District Board of Trustees. “He turned
his own hardship into a powerful call to action, and his advocacy
is helping shape a more compassionate and responsive LBCC. We are
incredibly proud of Edgar and grateful for the positive change he
is creating for our student body.”
“Edgar embodies the spirit of resilience and community that
defines LBCC,” said Dr. Mike Muñoz, LBCC
Superintendent-President. “His leadership has helped elevate the
needs of our most vulnerable students and has pushed us to
continually improve our support systems. We applaud Edgar for
this well-deserved national recognition, and we thank him for
reminding us what courage looks like in action.”
After becoming homeless in 2023, Edgar, a 40-year-old student at
Long Beach City College, founded Voz, a student
group that amplifies the voices of unhoused and low-income
students at the college. His leadership helped destigmatize
homelessness on campus and encouraged the college to strengthen
its support systems and to take more compassionate, practical
action toward addressing student housing insecurity, including
through safe-parking and basic needs programs.
The Courage Project’s “pay it forward” model allows honorees to
designate a nonprofit aligned with their values. Rosales selected
the Long Beach City College Foundation to receive the $25,000
award on his behalf. The donation will help support ongoing basic
needs programs, emergency aid, and student success initiatives
across LBCC.
Launched in May 2025 with an initial $5 million commitment, The
Courage Project’s awards are announced throughout the year in
alignment with moments of civic reflection—including
commemorative dates, cultural observances, and milestones that
reflect the values at the heart of the project. The awards range
from $10,000 to $50,000 and are distributed to organizations and
individuals who are exhibiting acts of courage and compassion in
their communities by standing up for what they believe in,
helping their neighbors, and building bridges across communities.
The Courage Project is a collaborative, nonpartisan initiative
supported by partners including CFLeads, the Freedom Together
Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, the John D. and
Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Kenneth Rainin Foundation,
the Marguerite Casey Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, Pisces
Foundation, the Public Welfare Foundation, The Skillman
Foundation, and the Surdna Foundation.
The Courage Project accepts public nominations on a rolling
basis. To learn more about The Courage Project, learn more about
the awardees, or nominate a courageous individual or
organization, visit www.thecourageproject.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Steph Derstine
The Courage Project
steph.derstine@berlinrosen.com
About Long Beach City College
Long Beach City College
consists of two campuses with an enrollment of over 35,000
students each semester and serves the cities of Long Beach,
Lakewood, Signal Hill, and Avalon. LBCC promotes equitable
student learning and achievement, academic excellence, and
workforce development by delivering high quality educational
programs and support services to our diverse communities. Visit
www.LBCC.edu for more information
about Long Beach City College.
MEDIA CONTACT
Stacey Toda,
Director of Communications & Community Engagement
Long Beach City College
stoda@lbcc.edu
(562) 938-4004