Ligia Booker is a volunteer, leader, and the founder of La Luz center, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting Latino individuals and families within Sonoma Valley.
Originally from Colombia, Ligia moved to Sonoma with her husband and five children in the mid-1970s. Shortly after arriving, she and her husband began volunteering by delivering food to those in need. Through this work, Ligia discovered a community facing significant challenges, often hidden behind language and cultural barriers. Understanding their dreams and struggles, Ligia and a group of passionate volunteers set out to find solutions to the community’s needs.
In Dec. 1990, La Luz opened its doors as a nonprofit organization. Ligia credits her upbringing in a “God-loving and giving family, whose doors were always open to anyone in need” as the driving force behind her commitment to serving others.
“Sonoma is a very expensive place to live,” Ligia explains, “and two-thirds of our clients are already in distress, facing the dilemma of trying to pay bills with income that isn’t sufficient.”