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The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company OMG! I'm nothing short of amazed of this company! I was up in LA helping out with Mister Sister Leather the Musical! http://prince.org/msg/100/299951 and the benefit charity was the Unusual Suspects Theatre Company. They put on 12wk workshops for youth in Child Protective Services and the LA County Juvenile Detention System. Go in teach the basics of theatre, have them write and produce their own shows and bring in community members to watch the shows. They say in the detention centers alot of times the kids are made up of rival gangs and they have to teach them first not to attack each other and than get them to work together. These kids have never in their life been encouraged to be creative, or express themselves and the joy and light it brings these kids sounds nothing short of amazing! I'm welling up with tears writing this that how amazed I am about this. AMAZING people are there doing great work. If you have the ability I would recommend helping this group out!
WOW! http://www.theunusualsusp...%20STORIES JOSE RAMIREZ
Jose Ramirez, a youth who turned his life around after being incarcerated at Camp David Gonzales Probation Camp in Calabasas, accepted the Coming Up Taller award from First Lady Laura Bush today on behalf of The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company (US) on Monday, January 28, 2008. For Ramirez, the chance to meet the First Lady is something he never imagined could happen, especially when only a year ago he was in jail. The son of a Guatemalan immigrant, Ramirez lost his mother in a fire when he was ten years old. Left with little to guide him, Ramirez ended up in a Los Angeles County probation camp at the age of seventeen. While incarcerated, Ramirez joined The Unusual Suspects theatre program and found hope in a new kind of family. Through improvisation, ensemble building exercises, playwriting, and acting Ramirez learned patience and discovered a greater purpose. “The program made me change. When someone told me 'I' could do something, it was like a gift,” he says. Now nineteen, Ramirez has received his high school diploma, completed a semester at community college and become a citizen of the United States. Ramirez says, “[i]f it weren't for The Unusual Suspects, I would be dead or in prison.” · SOPHIA SOU Sophia Sou participated in our 2002 Art Share and Alumni Programs in 2005. She graduated with honors from Gabrielino High School and currently is completing her sophomore year at UCLA. Sophia is a true leader in every area of her life. Not only did she participate in our first alumni program, she participated in a Congressional Student Leadership Conference in Washington D.C., interned for 49th district Assemblywoman Judy Chu. Currently, Sophia just returned from a study aboard program in Paris and is eager to be a US Ambassador. “Thank you to The Unusual Suspects for giving me a place to explore my dream, for believing in me, and for your ongoing service to the youth-of-tomorrow.” · TAMEEKA SMITH Tameeka Smith spent much of the first twelve years of her life homeless. Moving from St. Louis, Missouri to California was difficult for Tameeka and her family, especially since they didn't know anyone in the state. Without family, friends, or any kind of support Tameeka, her mother and her brother weren't able to find a home. Instead they were forced to live anywhere they could find shelter, often taking refuge in churches, missions, or an alleys. After having spent eight years worrying about where she would sleep each night, Tameeka and her family were finally able to move into a real home in the Wilshire Center neighborhood of Los Angeles. It was at this time that Tameeka learned of The Unusual Suspects. In 2007, Tameeka graduated from Cal State Long Beach from the English and Creative Writing program. Currently she is a manager for Old Navy and was just signed off to manage her own store! Eventually she would like to go back to school and write her own script. Last but not least, she recently became engaged and will be getting married in June 2008! [Edited 3/8/09 18:47pm] You CANNOT use the name of God, or religion, to justify acts of violence, to hurt, to hate, to discriminate- Madonna
authentic power is service- Pope Francis | |
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Amazing.
What's great is that now these kids can creatively express the reasons why these terrible things happened in their lives. Why did they take the path they took, etc. MyeternalgrattitudetoPhil&Val.Herman said "We want sweaty truckers at the truck stop! We want cigar puffing men that look like they wanna beat the living daylights out of us" Val"sporking is spooning with benefits" | |
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I worked with children in voluntariado regime, teaching painting; but it experiences it with theater should be incredible; thank you for sharing this information  | |
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The Need
In 2005 we completed a needs assessment to prove the value of our program. We do these programs because of these numbers: • 12 out of 100- the number of juveniles that will be the victim of a violent crime this year nation-wide. Juveniles are by far, the highest age group to be targets of crime. • 13,200 (Less than 1% of LA Teens)- The number of youth 16-19 years of age in Los Angeles who are neither in school nor in the labor force. Almost all of these teens will go through one or more institutions this year before they turn 18 years of age: • 5,000 of these teens are from foster care group homes not in permanent placement; • 4,000 go through LA County Probation • 2,900 go through California Youth Authority • 3-12 months- The average stay in a County or State institution. Then many are back on the street. • 58%- The percentage of foster youth who end up in adult prison for violent crimes. • 91% of youth will be rearrested, 53% for more violent crimes. • $1.7 million- The cost of incarcerating one youth over the course of his sentence. • $720 million- An estimate of the cost of juvenile crime in annual medical costs in Los Angeles County . argeted Conditions: Our client base is made up of youth with the following risk factors: • A destructive or non-existent home life. • Past victims of abuse. • Poverty. • Gang affiliation. • Drug abuse. • Underperforming schools or school drop outs. • Racial/territorial tensions from the environment. • Peer pressure and family pressures to participate in illegal or irresponsible activities. • Low self-esteem and no positive identity. • No sense of belonging outside of negative groups such as gangs. • No sense of achievement in positive areas. The following are the conditions our program is designed to address. These are the protective factors: • A sense of belonging to a positive group made up of youth and adults of other races and backgrounds. This replaces a need for a gang and eases racial conflicts. • A place where that experience can carry on into the community after the youth leave the juvenile institutions. This helps replace a non-existent home life or the temptation to return to gang life. • A positive experience on stage that provides a “natural high.” • A program that addresses the state standards for performing arts and can help them with attaining their GED and going on to college in the arts. • An environment that teaches cultural awareness and opens participant's perspectives on race and gangs. • Positive peer pressure to participate in responsible and rewarding activities that provide a future and drive to succeed in participants. • New self-esteem and positive identity as an artist and creative individual and member of an ensemble cast. • A sense of achievement in positive areas of a participant's life. Outcomes (Intermediate Effects on The Participants): • Reduced levels of violence while institutionalized thereby making facilities safer for both staff and wards. • Changes in participants attitudes towards peers of other races and gang affiliations. • Changes in attitude towards staff and authority figures. • Sense of pride and self-esteem as creative individuals. • Social Consciousness- understanding through ensemble theatre that each of us is part of a larger whole. • Empowerment and goal setting. Impacts (Long Term Effects The Program Is Designed to Achieve) • Participants renounce violence as a way of life. • Participants remain open to new ideas, learning and people of different races and backgrounds. • Maturity in response to authority, rules and the law. • Growing confidence in one's own abilities. • Growing social consciousness with a need to give back to the community. • Achievement of personal goals such as attaining a GED, college, a trade, continuing in the arts, etc. You CANNOT use the name of God, or religion, to justify acts of violence, to hurt, to hate, to discriminate- Madonna
authentic power is service- Pope Francis | |
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Awesome !!
Jessica danced at an AIDS Benefit tonight to Prince - When Doves Cry  she rocked it !! | |
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