Collaborations
Arts for incarcerated youth network (AIYN)
RAA is very honored to collaborate with other arts education non-profits in the Los Angeles area. RAA is one of the 9 organizations that makes up the Arts for Incarcerated Youth, a one of a kind program collaborating with the LA County Probation Department to get artists paid for their work in probation camps.
Rhythm Arts Alliance was proud to be part of the Arts for Incarcerated Youth Network's "Create Justice" event, which showcased the work of the partner organizations who are part of AIYN and have been teaching in probation camps throughout Los Angeles County.
Street poets, inc.
RAA also has a longstanding partnership with Street Poets, Inc. Through our collaborative efforts, RAA has developed artistic communities of youth drummers and poets who have in many cases turned their lives around while being supported in the pursuit of the Malinke musical arts. RAA and Street Poets also perform for local LA students and the community to facilitate poetry and musical experiences in a larger circle.
Youth Mentoring Connection
Every year, RAA joins Youth Mentoring and Street Poets for the Initiation Retreats for the boy and girl mentees. The boys and girls are taken on separate retreats, joined by mentors and facilitators, for a 3-4 day retreat. This year, the girls went to Big Bear Lake and the boys were taken to the high desert, on the land of Wolf Connection, a wolf sanctuary. During these retreats, the youth are guided through an initiation process and by the end of the retreat they have experienced the power of their personal story, have bonded with the other mentees and mentors and returned back to their communities with a new perspective.
These are some images from our Welcome Home Open Mic, welcoming the youth back from their initiation retreats and celebrating their courage and strength for showing up for their process.
