Metrocenter YMCA 2011

In the summer of 2011 we partnered once again with the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration and YouthSource to do a work training program, this time at the Metrocenter YMCA. With an emphasis on initiating social justice dialogue during recording sessions, the youth produced the track “Reality,”which shares the story of the intergenerational struggles their community has faced and is constantly working against. The raw power of the song brought Lori Kesl, regional administrator of the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration, to tears when she came to visit youth in the studio. Towards the end of the program radio personality Tony Benton invited the youth to his StreetBeat program on KUBE 93. The on-air interview broadcasted to 11,000 listeners.

Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative 2011

Shortly after our first program at Rainier Community Center we were encouraged by our dear friend Kate Becker (now an Advisory Board Member) to apply for the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative Community Matching Grant, which was the very first time we ever applied for a grant. After months of waiting, we were awarded $19,054 to do a Spring 2011 program at the Northwest African American Museum and The Royal Esquire Club, with both venues generously donating space and volunteer services as part of the community match! All for the youth!

Each session began with a family-style dinner with meal donations by The Royal Esquire Club, Frontier Room, Lottie’s Lounge, Tutta Bella, Pyramid Breweries, The Beachcomber, and more. After dinner a van donated by YouthSource picked up the youth in Columbia City and transported them to the Northwest African American Museum, where our recording studio was set up. After the sessions, youth were picked up by the van and dropped off at their homes – talk about comprehensive youth services! It’s amazing to see how the community comes together full-circle to support a group of youth doing positive work.

By the end of the three months, the youth had produced a track called “Oromo” with the hook “My block stay hot, bro, even in the winter / The game’s not easy every corner there’s a hater / Somebody got shot police asking questions / Another act of violence that could have been prevented.” It’s up to all of us to keep the youth safe.

Rainier Community Center 2010

It all started here. In July 2010 we ran our very first work training program, which we called “Making the Band,” at Rainier Community Center in Columbia City. Our longtime friend Amanda Justen called us out of the blue to do a summer program with youth released from juvenile detention. Thus began a three-year long partnership with the King County Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration and YouthSource. Check out the track “Crazy” produced by the youth from our first program: “I been grinding so hard / trying to get these chips / but the system won’t change / and we can’t get rich / man it’s crazy.“