Pico Youth & Family Center

TO EQUIP YOUTH AND FAMILIES WITH SKILLS AND TO PROMOTE PEACE, UNITY, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE.

PICO YOUTH & FAMILY CENTER (PYFC) IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT STARTED IN 1998 AS A GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT TO ADDRESS GANG VIOLENCE, SPECIFICALLY 64 GANG-RELATED YOUTH HOMICIDES IN SANTA MONICA'S PICO NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS ENCLAVE IS HOME TO THE LARGEST POCKET OF LOW-INCOME SINGLE-PARENT HOUSEHOLDS WITH THE LARGEST PROPORTION OF BLACK AND LATINO PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF 90,000. PYFC'S CULTURALLY-ENGAGING YOUTH PROGRAMMING IS CREDITED WITH REDUCING YOUTH VIOLENCE AND INCREASING COLLEGE GRADUATION RATES IN THE COMMUNITIES OF SANTA MONICA, VENICE, CULVER CITY AND WEST LOS ANGELES. SINCE OPENING PYFC HAS EVOLVED INTO A PREMIER YOUTH PROGRAM FOCUSED ON MUSIC, FILM, ART, ENTERTAINMENT & TECHNOLOGY. IN 2002, PYFC OPENED THE FIRST PUBLIC RECORDING STUDIO SERVING MARGINALIZED YOUTH OF COLOR. PYFC HAS ENGAGED THOUSANDS OF YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS (AGES 8-24) THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES COUNTY, PROVIDING DAILY AFTER-SCHOOL ACCESS TO STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY AND TRAINING FOR YOUTH TO LEARN MARKETABLE SKILLS WHILE COLLABORATING AND CREATING ORIGINAL MUSIC THAT STRIVES TO PROMOTE SOCIAL JUSTICE AND POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE.PYFC IS SANTA MONICA'S ONLY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION ADDRESSING RACIAL INEQUALITY AND YOUTH VIOLENCE. WE WORK TO EQUIP YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH THE LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY SKILLS NEEDED TO STRENGTHEN AND SUSTAIN THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY LIVE BY ADVANCING EDUCATIONAL AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AS A RESULT OF CONFRONTING SOCIAL AND RACIAL INEQUITIES.PYFC BELIEVES EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE POVERTY AND MARGINALIZATION EXIST NEEDS SELF-DETERMINATION, CULTURALLY-ENGAGING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. PYFC, THROUGH ITS DUAL APPROACH OF DIRECT SERVICES AND ADVOCACY, EMBODIES THE POWER OF COMMUNITY-BASED ACTION TO CREATE SOCIAL CHANGE. OUR VISION IS TO COLLABORATE WITH TRADITIONAL SCHOOL-BASED ENSEMBLE MUSIC AND FILM PROGRAMS TO EXPAND OUR SYSTEMS CHANGE IMPACT AND CREATE A NEW EXCITING MUSIC AND VISUAL ARTS EXPERIENCE, ENGAGING THOUSANDS OF NEW STUDENTS. WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HELP OTHER YOUTH-SERVING ENTITIES CREATE SIMILAR PROGRAMS AND CENTERS TO EXPERIENCE THE REDUCTION IN YOUTH AND GANG VIOLENCE THAT WE EXPERIENCED IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY BY HARNESSING THE POWER OF MUSIC, FILM, ART, CULTURE AND SELF-DETERMINATION.IN FY 2020-2021, DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, OUR YOUTH HAVE STEPPED UP TO VOLUNTEER AND PROVIDE LEADERSHIP FOR OUR ORGANIZATION. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS LEADERSHIP EFFORT IS OUR YOUTH REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ASHIL SRIVASTAVA, WHO IS A RISING SENIOR AT SANTA MONICA HIGH SCHOOL. ASHIL INTRODUCED A PROPOSAL TO PROVIDE FOOD AND GROCERIES TO THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO THE CORONAVIRUS. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE PICO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION (PNA) AND LOCAL GROCERY STORES TO ASSEMBLE AND HAND-DELIVER OVER 160 GROCERY CARE PACKAGES TO SENIOR CITIZENS AND FAMILIES IN NEED. OUR GOAL IS TO DELIVER RESOURCES AND CARE PACKAGES TO AT LEAST 50 FAMILIES EVERY WEEK. OUR YOUTH HAVE ALSO LED TWO RACIAL JUSTICE PROTESTS STEMMING FROM THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ORGANIZING A CAMPAIGN TO DEMAND THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA REMOVE A RACIST MURAL DECORATING THE ENTRANCE OF ITS CITY HALL. ANOTHER TANGIBLE EXAMPLE OF PYFC'S CREATIVE YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IS FOUND IN MUSIC PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS, HOOLIPACK WHO ARE LEADING AN INITIATIVE TO PROVIDE CLOTHING FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS IN LA'S SKID ROW. HOOLIPACK IS THE ONLY MUSIC COLLECTIVE AND CLOTHING BRAND IN THE WORLD THAT CLOTHES HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WITH EVERY PURCHASE OF ATTIRE. PYFC HAS ADJUSTED ITS FUND DEVELOPMENT PLAN TO FOCUS LESS ON EVENTS AND MORE ON GRANTS, INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. WE HAVE DIALED-IN OUR FOCUS TO MEET YOUTH NEEDS DURING COVID-19 AND THE MOVEMENT FOR RACIAL JUSTICE. WITH THE CLOSURE OF LOCAL SCHOOLS COUNTYWIDE, THE DEMAND FOR AN INNOVATIVE ONLINE LEARNING EXPERIENCE IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH. PYFC IS RE-PURPOSING ITS RESOURCES TO OFFER THE BEST EXPERIENCE OF ITS UNIQUE BRAND OF PROGRAMMING AND CLASSES TO YOUTH AND FAMILIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. THIS PANDEMIC HAS CHANGED THE WAY MANY SCHOOLS WILL PROVIDE INSTRUCTION, FOR PYFC IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW, INNOVATE AND CREATE SYSTEMS CHANGE. WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE DAILY MUSIC, FILM, SOCIAL JUSTICE, YOGA & MINDFULNESS CLASSES ONLINE. IN FY 2020-2021, PYFC PARTNERED WITH GOOD OMEN PICTURES TO TRAIN YOUTH TO PRODUCE PROFESSIONAL MUSIC VIDEOS, DOCUMENTARIES, SHORT AND FEATURE FILMS CENTERED ON CREATING POSITIVE SOCIAL IMPACT THROUGH MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT. PYFC IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE UNDERGROUND SCHOLARS INITIATIVE (USI) AT UCLA TO PROVIDE A PATHWAY FOR INCARCERATED, FORMERLY INCARCERATED AND SYSTEM IMPACTED YOUTH INTO HIGHER EDUCATION. USI IS BUILDING A PRISON-TO-SCHOOL PIPELINE AT PYFC THROUGH ACADEMIC TUTORING & SUPPORT, COUNSELING, MENTORSHIP, RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND ADVOCACY.