Over the past month, we checked in with our 2024 grantees to learn how their funded programs, projects, and initiatives are progressing – and to better understand the impact they’re making across Los Angeles. Now, we are excited to share these interviews, with stories of growth, challenges, and community transformation.

A Fighting Chance received funding through the LA2050 Grants Challenge from the Goldhirsh Foundation to support its comprehensive MMA program for foster and at-risk youth in Los Angeles County. Below is an edited transcript of our conversation with their team.

LA2050: What makes A Fighting Chance’s model – and particularly the gym environment – effective in reaching young people who might not connect with more traditional intervention approaches?

A Fighting Chance: We create an environment of mutual respect, authenticity, and physical challenge that resonates with young people who often feel alienated by institutional or clinical settings. In our gym, they aren’t treated like “at-risk cases,” they’re athletes, teammates, and individuals with potential. Our model blends discipline with mentorship, using mixed martial arts to build confidence, emotional regulation, and a sense of belonging.

Physical exercise is proven to support mental health, and for many of our participants, talk therapy can feel uncomfortable or inaccessible. It’s difficult to open up in formal settings. But after training, once the sweat has settled and the walls come down, conversations happen naturally. Whether it’s during cool-downs or while stretching after practice, these low-pressure moments are often when youth begin to open up. The gym becomes a space where trust is built and honest conversations emerge on their terms.

LA2050: Your programs emphasize mental wellness and mentorship – how do participants respond to the more reflective, healing-centered elements?

A Fighting Chance: Participants respond incredibly well to the reflective, healing-centered elements, many describe the experience as life-changing. Through our after-school program for youth ages 12 to 18, our evening program for foster youth who have aged out of the system, and our new apprenticeship initiative, we’ve seen complete transformations. Young people have walked away from drug use and gang involvement, secured steady jobs, and come to the gym not just to train, but to grow.

A big part of that success comes from our mentors, many of whom have lived experience. They've walked similar paths and come out the other side, and that authenticity builds trust fast. The gym becomes a place where real change feels possible because participants see it modeled by the people guiding them.

LA2050: What do you hope to achieve in the last six months of the grant, and how can the broader LA2050 community support you?

A Fighting Chance: In the final stretch of the grant, A Fighting Chance is focused on solidifying its foundation, tightening curriculum delivery, and strengthening the apprenticeship structure. We officially launched our after-school program on April 21st while our evening program and apprenticeship initiative are already up and running. All programs will be operating full-time by June.

We’re also expanding the after-school program to include new educational components and are launching a film program in partnership with Kids in the Spotlight (KITS), which gives youth the tools to tell bold, authentic stories rooted in their lived experiences. These projects are already in motion and promise to be powerful expressions of identity, resilience, and transformation.

The broader LA2050 community can support us by amplifying our mission, connecting us with mentors, employers, and aligned funders, and introducing us to potential partners. Referrals, shared programming, or co-hosted events are all valuable opportunities to grow our reach and connect with the youth who need us most.

Interview Participant:

Amar Marwaha, Co-Founder and Executive Director