Awoke

AWOKE PRODUCES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, ARTS AND ATHLETICS PROGRAMMING, AND CULTURAL EVENTS TO EMPOWER YOUNG ADULTS TO BECOME LOCAL LEADERS.

SHELDON PROJECT UPON BEING AWARDED A MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES IN JUNE 2021, THE ORGANIZATION ENGAGED IN PROJECT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS AIMED AT RECLAIMING SHELDON SKATE PARK AS A COMMUNITY SPACE AND BUILDING PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES. THROUGHOUT THE LAST TWO QUARTERS OF THE YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION WORKED WITH GOVERNMENT PARTNERS INCLUDING THE OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION AND PARKS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT VISION AND LAUNCH PHASE I OF THE PROJECT. BESIDES PLANNING EFFORTS, THE GR818ERS HOSTED COMMUNITY CLEAN UPS AND OPEN DANCE AND SKATEBOARDING SESSIONS FOR CURRENT PARK USERS TO GROW ACCUSTOMED TO CHANGING TIDES AT THE PARK. ON AVERAGE, 20 YOUTH AND ADULTS PARTICIPATED IN EACH COMMUNITY CLEAN UP - THREE CLEAN UPS WERE COMPLETED TOTALING 60 PARTICIPANTS. THROUGHOUT THE 6-MONTH PERIOD, FOUR OPEN SESSIONS WERE PRODUCED AVERAGING 15 PARTICIPANTS PER SESSION FOR A TOTAL OF 60 PARTICIPANT YOUTH.

UNITE CULTURAL CENTER IS A COMMUNITY CENTER THAT OPERATES IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE CALENDAR YEAR. THE YEAR IS SPLIT INTO THREE 12-WEEK PROGRAM SEASONS - THE FALL/WINTER STARTING IN OCTOBER, WINTER/SPRING STARTING IN FEBRUARY, AND SUMMER STARTING IN JUNE. PROGRAM SEASONS CENTER AFTER-SCHOOL YOUTH PROGRAMS, DROP-IN ACTIVITIES LIKE ONE-TIME WORKSHOPS, SEASONAL CULMINATING EVENTS, AND SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT CREATION. UNITE ALSO SERVES AS A CULTURAL HUB FOR LOCAL PERFORMANCES, EVENTS, AND MEDIA PRODUCTION, AND A MEETING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY PARTNERS YEAR-ROUND. IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, VIRTUAL ACTIVITIES WERE THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF PROGRAM PARTICIPATION BUT WITH THE LIFTING OF COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE WANED AND DEMAND FOR IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING GREW. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, 90 PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED DROP-IN DANCE SESSIONS, 1000 PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED IN-PERSON EVENTS, AND OVER 21,213 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED VIRTUALLY IN ONLINE EVENTS AND CONTENT RELEASES.

CLUB PROGRAMS RANGE IN FOCUS, WHICH INCLUDE STREET DANCE, GRAPPLING, ARTS CRAFTS, AND DJING. CLUB PROGRAMS ARE OPEN TO YOUTH AGES 5-18 AND ARE SPLIT INTO TWO LEVELS, BEGINNERS AND INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED. THROUGHOUT TWO PROGRAM SEASONS, 30 YOUTH PARTICIPATED IN 8-WEEK EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT FOCUSED ON LEARNING THE FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS OF ARTISTIC AND ATHLETIC PRACTICES. DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, IN-PERSON PROGRAMS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO OPERATE UNTIL THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR, AND PROGRAM ATTENDANCE EXPERIENCED A CHILLING EFFECT BECAUSE OF THIS. HOWEVER, BY THE END OF THE YEAR THERE WERE NOTABLE INCREASES IN RECURRING PROGRAM ATTENDANCE AND A GROWING DEMAND FOR IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING.