March 2020, conductor Jessica Bejarano was coming off the success of the debut concert for the orchestra she founded, the San Francisco Philharmonic. While large ensembles haven’t had much of a chance to perform since then, Bejarano is keeping up the orchestral collaboration.

This week, the conductor is partnering with L.A.’s American Youth Symphony. It’s a return appearance of sorts: Bejarano was the first woman to conduct the ensemble, in 2019. This Friday’s concert, a free family event that has Bejarano teaching a short conducting lesson and AYS musicians playing a selection of solo and duet repertoire, isn’t back in the concert hall yet. But online, it’s still bringing people together.

The music from Bejarano and AYS is one half of a larger event, hosted by A Place Called Home, a community organization serving South Central L.A. APCH screens a film following the concert; this week, it’s the 2016 animated movie Sing. It’s all part of a regular series, Family Film Fridays, that, for the first time, AYS is playing the pre-show for, along with APCH’s own Youth Strings Ensemble.

Bejarano, who grew up in L.A. and has made a point of giving back to the community in music, says: “It’s incredibly important to bring free classical music to families to aid in enriching and fulfilling their lives. I also find it incredibly important and notable that AYS is not only bringing music to APCH families but also demonstrating how to be a leader through the conducting lesson that I will be teaching. It gives our youth a different lens through which to experience music and the world.”

Click here to learn more about other 2020 recipients.

Looking to get involved? We have a wonderful volunteer opportunity coming up on Saturday, June 11th. More details to come! Contact cathy@villageforvets.org to sign up!

Click here to learn more about Village for Vets. 

Check out Street Poets words fest!

“We’re so excited to be partnering with @tiachuchas for the 17th Annual Celebrating Words Fest!!! For the first time ever, CWF will have a 2nd Stage and we’ll be hosting!!! There will be poetry, music, and space for you to share your voice on the open mic! Come celebrate with us on Saturday, May 21, 2022 from 2-7pm! “

Click here to learn more about Street Poets. 

Read about this recent sharefest project.

Marathon Petroleum Corporation believes strongly in investing in local communities to help make people’s lives better. Working with local nonprofit, Sharefest Community Development, Inc., Marathon recently completed a beautification project at Del Amo Elementary school in Carson. Over the course of the day, Marathon’s many volunteers completed 14 large scale mural walls. This project is just one of many Marathon has completed with Sharefest over the past several years. “Marathon is a longtime partner who truly wants to make our communities better places,” said Chad Mayer, Executive Director of Sharefest. “They take on huge projects that transform schools because they know how important it is for youth to feel valued. In fact, this is our second project with them this year and they’ve invested $63,000 into the Wilmington and Carson communities!”

Click here to continue reading and see more photos. 

Here is a little history on Save Our Youth

It seems like yesterday when a small group of parents met to discuss their concerns about rising violence among Costa Mesa’s youth. It was 1992 and the city had just experienced its first drive-by shooting. The parents didn’t want their teens to be drawn into gangs or street life. They met with City Manager Allan Roeder and other city staff to express their concerns. With City Councilman Joe Erickson leading the way, the City agreed there needed to be an alternative to the lure of street life, so they provided space at Rea Center, but it was up to the parents to provide and sustain the program. And so Save Our Youth was born. Share Our Selves acted as an umbrella agency until SOY became incorporated in 1993 and had its own federal tax number.

The parents and some community supporters got to work accumulating donated furniture, computers, pool tables, weights and exercise machines, even mirrors and padded gym flooring as well as a boxing ring to attract the kids. Many teenage boys flocked to the new center and when a Girls’ Program was started teen girls also came. The greatest early lift was an amazing donor who contributed money for over 16years to establish an innovative scholarship program which paid students for good grades and awarded them a grant upon graduating equal to the amount of money they earned during their years at SOY. Almost $2,000,000 were allocated to hundreds of SOY graduates who went on to colleges all over California. They draw the money down as they need it for college expenses.

From that humble beginning, SOY is now a full service organization, as these pages illustrate. Its numerous programs serve almost 400 teens. Because of financial cutbacks, SOY is operating with only two dedicated staff and has had to eliminate much of the scholarship program, but a core of dedicated volunteers and growing numbers of donors are helping to keep the Center open to fulfill its mission of serving Costa Mesa’s youth at risk. SOY is extremely grateful for the community support it has received these past 20 years.

As the first Adult Day Program and Counseling Center in Los Angeles, OPICA has been serving adults challenged with memory loss and their families in the West Los Angeles area for more than 42 years. OPICA creates a structured, yet socially engaging, nurturing and fun environment that enables members to avoid isolation, to experience an overall improved quality of life, and to maintain dignity, meaning, and a sense of self-worth.

OPICA provides much needed respite and peace of mind for CAREgivers. Our supportive programs and counseling services help guide families with a loved one challenged by memory loss along their unique journeys, relieving stress while providing hope. OPICA provides the community at large with a place to turn when needing information and/or guidance regarding memory loss-related conditions and we are committed to collaborative cooperation with health care providers and other social service agencies.

OPICA’s highly experienced staff and diverse set of volunteers are dedicated, hands-on, and focused on the comfort and well-being of OPICA’s members in its unique Stoner Park setting.

Day Program activities include:

• Art Therapy, Painting, Expressive Drawing
• Yoga For The Brain ™
• Reminiscence Memories Groups
• Low impact Tai Chi and Aerobics
• Mindfulness Relaxation Exercises
• Live Music and Dancing
• Entertainment
• Mindful Walks in the Adjacent Park
• Nisei Cultural Groups
• Current Events Discussions
• Sensory Activities

For the monthly calendar of virtual day program activities, click here.

What you can do to help House of Ruth:

• Become a volunteer today, be a part of real life stories of hope and fresh starts and don’t be surprised if you hear comments like, “Thank you for saving my life” from the survivors you help.
• Donate Wish List items — these are always welcome and much needed!
  • Grocery Store Gift Cards
  • Amazon Gift Cards
  • Non-perishable food (new items please)
  • Laundry Detergent and Cleaning Supplies
  • Small Appliances
  • Baby Supplies (new items please)
  • Furniture
  • Cell phones & computers
• Get your company involved with a larger donation and/or in sponsoring one of the above listed activities.
• Stay connected:
  • Sign up to receive up-to-date information on LAHR news and events
  • Like us on Facebook — LAHouseofRuth
  • Follow us on Twitter — LAHR Los Angeles House of Ruth @LosAngelesHous1
  • Follow us on Instagram — LAHR_LosAngelesHouseofRuth
• Spread the word so others can learn about our life-saving work.

Learn about why they do what they do at LOVE ( Living Our Vision Everyday). 

“6,000 to 7,000 youth on are the streets of Los Angeles every single night.

Far too often, our adolescents’ voices are not heard by those who are supposed to be their supporters. Their dreams are disregarded and they’re not able to be who they truly are. Tragically, youth are physically, psychologically, or sexually abused or neglected entirely through no fault of their own. Understandably, these young people often end up feeling physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually abandoned. The sadness and despair manifests either inwardly as depression and hopelessness or outwardly as anger and even rage. They may become homeless, involved in the criminal justice system, and/or addicted to an array of substances and lifestyles. These are not throwaway kids. They are broken-hearted because nobody believed in them or gave them the unconditional love they needed. 

Miguel Padilla’s life is one example of the tragedy so many of our adolescents face today.  Miguel was abandoned by his mother at a young age, neglected by his father, and suffered two horrific accidents in his lifetime which caused him to lose his right arm below the elbow and the sight in his left eye. Miguel was continuously teased by his peers for his disabilities and left isolated at school.

After being abandoned by his mother, Miguel was left in the care of his father who abused him and finally left him with his elderly grandmother who was not able to care for him. Miguel was then placed in Los Angeles County’s child welfare system and lastly in the juvenile justice system due to behavioral issues.

While the 17-year-old was living in his final placement – a structured, therapeutic setting with sprawling grounds, Miguel ventured into the orchard, climbed into a tree with his one arm, and hung himself with a noose he had made.  His body was found nine days later by staff.

Miguel’s life magnifies the plight of so many of our youth today living in an environment where they do not receive the love and support they need, stripping our children of any sense of self-esteem and self-worth.  In an interview with a social worker, Miguel professed, “I have a heart, I care about people.” Miguel’s voice cries out to be heard.

Miguel’s life and the lives of all of our disenfranchised, lost and forgotten adolescents inspire the voice of L.O.V.E. Foundation and our team of Love Warriors to provide the caring, warmth and support needed so desperately by so many youth who become homeless, incarcerated, or entrenched in the foster care system.”

“In this book, Leo beautifully and simply explains big concepts in loving, peaceful, and purposeful ways. It’s a stunning book, with wonderful illustrations introducing children to the purpose of life and death, and how we are all important and different.”

 

“I gave my copies to my grandchildren and they paid close attention and asked questions.“

 

 Dr. JB