Lian Dante

Lian was a firm believer that people should be respected no matter their socioeconomic level or cultural background. As a student, Lian experienced verbal and physical abuse in the forms of name calling, bullying, harrassment and sexual assult. Those injustices drove Lian to stand up for others. She risked becoming a target herself and often suffered active and passive verbal and physical violence from peers. These experiences resulted in Lian firmly believing that the injustices a person suffers affects not only that person but that person’s decendants. Lian’s love for people inpired her to stand up for others and motivated her to plan and set goals for the future. As she approached her senior year in high school, Lian started to develop a plan to achieve her goals. She wanted to start a non-profit with various initiatives and programs. One of Lian’s greatest desires was to help in the creation of a more kind, just and empathetic world for people that experienced injustice and unkind actions. Lian planned youth support groups, community projects that incoporated skill building and initiatives to help the elderly. But most importanly Lian planned on bringing young people together to make a difference and impact in the world. Lian wanted to empower young people to heal or change lives for a more equitable future.

Unfortunately, Lian’s life was taken one month after she turned 17. The Lian Dante Foundation is based on Lian’s core beliefs in social justice rooted in diveristy, equity, and empathy. The Lian Dante Foundation is committed to honoring Lian’s legacy by making Lian’s dreams and visions a reality and maintaining the core beliefs of diversity, equity and empathy in our programing, initiatives, and advocay.