Richard Benbow

Richard Benbow grew up in a middle-class neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri where his mother was a house cleaner and his step-father was a butler in the executive branch of Monsanto Chemical Company. Richard experienced the integration of his schools and neighborhood in St. Louis, as well as the resulting white flight that resulted from integration. A promising young student, Richard skipped several grades, deciding to focus on his education on the advice of a high school teacher. The Civil Rights movement and his family’s involvement with community organizing through the Teamsters inspired Richard to pursue a Master’s degree in Urban Planning, Public Administration, and Public Policy at St. Louis University. Richard moved to Los Angeles in the early 1970’s determined to work for the Community Redevelopment Agency, finally securing a position there in 1976 and working his way up to a senior position with the agency. During his time with the Agency, it focused on building affordable housing and addressing homelessness in Los Angeles. Richard also established a program in Real Estate Finance and Development at the University of Southern California to respond to the need to rebuild Los Angeles after the 1992 Rodney King riots. Richard advises young people to pursue their goals with hard work and perseverance.