The honorees for the 2007 Smith-Weiss Award were Jerilyn Lopez Mendoza, The Liberty Hill Foundation, State Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and Culver City City Councilmember Gary Silbiger.

Jerilyn López Mendoza is the policy director of the Environmental Justice Project Office of Environmental Defense, where she focuses on creating innovative ways to reduce negative environmental impacts on low-income, minority populations. She serves as vice president of the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners, where she and fellow commissioners partnered with the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners taking unprecedented action by approving the landmark San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan In addition, she is the chair of the Steering Committee of the LAX Coalition for Economic, Environmental and Educational Justice, and also serves on the Steering Committee of the Figueroa Corridor Coalition for Economic Justice. She was instrumental in launching the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust.

The Liberty Hill Foundation partners with innovative and effective Los Angeles grassroots organizations to combat poverty and injustice, and help transform the "City of Angels" into a place that promises safety, equality and opportunity for everyone who lives here. Liberty Hill's Environmental Justice Fund is dedicated to improving public health in low-income communities that suffer disproportionately from environmental pollution. Liberty Hill also began LibertyVote! to help excite, educate and engage low-propensity voters around the critical issues of social justice, healthcare and the economy. By working closely with its grantees and offering technical assistance, voter education materials, and grants, together they were able to witness a significant increase in voter turnout among diverse racial and ethnic groups. In addition, Liberty Hill has taken a valuable leadership position in the coalition of environmental organizations called Green LA.

Speaker Fabian Núñez (D- 46th District) was elected to the California State Assembly in 2002 and sworn in as the State's 66th Speaker in 2004. Speaker Núñez has fought to protect and nurture the “California Advantage” --our innovative industries, our entrepreneurial spirit, our research universities, our environmental beauty and our greatest resource --the most productive workers in the world. Speaker Núñez has been internationally recognized for his leadership on global warming issues. In 2006, the Speaker co-authored Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act, first-in-the-nation legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from California industries. Núñez has also authored bills to curb pollution, boost funding for alternative energy, and offer solutions to California's long-term energy needs.

Gary Silbiger was re-elected to the City Council of Culver City in April of 2006. Gary was an early supporter of the Exposition Light Rail line, moving from downtown Los Angeles, through Culver City, and to the ocean at Santa Monica. He served as Culver City’s representative to the Exposition Light Rail Construction Authority during its crucial first year period. Gary strongly supports Culver City’s recent establishment of work/live and mixed use ordinances. Gary has been vigilantly pursuing recycling containers in every city-owned room in Culver City. When some of Culver City’s precious green space was almost lost, Gary raised the issue that no green space can ever be taken without first having at least equal replacement space. Working together with local environmental organizations and community activists, Gary continues to demand ongoing environmental consciousness leading to an environmental friendlier and healthier community.