Los Angeles, CA — The Los Angeles Urban League mourns the passing of Wallis Annenberg, 86, a towering figure in philanthropy whose visionary leadership reshaped the civic and cultural life of Los Angeles and beyond.
As President and Chairperson of the Annenberg Foundation, Ms. Annenberg carried forward her family’s legacy with a distinctly personal touch—one marked by a deep belief in equity, education, community health, and the transformative power of communication. Under her guidance, the Foundation gave more than $1 billion in grants to support underserved communities, champion environmental justice, and promote access to the arts and education. In Los Angeles, her imprint is indelible: from the Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica to the Annenberg Space for Photography in Century City, and the Annenberg PetSpace in Playa Vista, she created spaces where people could gather, reflect, and learn.
Ms. Annenberg’s philanthropic reach extended into public health and social justice, issues that resonate deeply with the mission of the Urban League. She funded mobile eye clinics for children, supported critical work at Los Angeles schools, and stood behind causes that lifted communities too often left behind. Her investments were not only generous but intentional and ahead of their time.
Ms. Annenberg was USC’s longest-serving trustee. A $50 million gift from the foundation supported construction of Wallis Annenberg Hall, the home to the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism that opened in 2014.
She was a friend to this city and to the many people striving within it. As a philanthropic partner and donor to the Los Angeles Urban League, we honor her memory not only through reflection, but through continued action in pursuit of the inclusive, vibrant future she believed in.
Our thoughts are with the Annenberg family and all who were touched by the remarkable life of Wallis Annenberg, who died today from lung cancer.