[The following final update was written by the organization and then sent to us for further sharing.]

The People’s Pottery Project (PPP) proudly continues our mission of advancing “Care Not Cages” by providing empowerment, healing, and skill-building opportunities to formerly incarcerated women, non-binary, and trans individuals through our non-profit ceramics’ arts studio. Guided by formerly incarcerated leaders, PPP has fostered an arts-based center for healing, education, and community. Over the past year, with the invaluable support of LA2050, we have made significant strides and witnessed inspiring accomplishments, which we are excited to share.

Program Expansion and Achievements

This past year, PPP added 2,778 hours of therapeutic ceramics classes and training, creating five new paid positions to support our growing studio. The additional staffing has enabled us to expand our class offerings, increase production, and raise revenues through sales and pop-up events. Our growth has also allowed us to adopt trauma informed management practices, implemented in partnership with mental health reentry organizations, creating a supportive and holistic environment for our team.

Milestone Goals Achieved

Our progress this year aligns with the ambitious goals we set. Here’s a breakdown of our key achievements by quarter:

• Fall 2023: Trained three formerly incarcerated individuals and opened two part time positions to provide economic stability and hands-on ceramics training.

• Winter 2023: Established partnerships with A New Way of Life and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, working with parole officers and liaisons to provide free, comprehensive ceramics training both in the community and within prison facilities.

• Spring 2024: Partnered with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners (CCWP), supporting advocacy initiatives such as Survived and Punished and Drop LWOP, to raise awareness and mobilize action for criminal justice reform.

• Summer 2024: Strengthened our collaboration with CCWP in advocating for policy changes aimed at fair treatment for incarcerated individuals, and hired three full-time participants, providing stable employment and essential benefits.

• Fall 2024: Continued to build alliances with organizations dedicated to supporting the successful reentry of formerly incarcerated individuals, focusing on sustainable job opportunities and positive outlets for creativity and healing.

Impact of Expanded Funding

With additional support from the SNAP Foundation as well as the Amity Foundation, we have significantly expanded our capacity to serve more individuals in reentry. This increased funding has led to greater stability within our team and higher success rates among our participants. Currently, we employ two full-time studio managers earning a living wage of $20 per hour plus comprehensive benefits, including medical coverage and a 401K plan.

• One studio manager recently achieved a major personal milestone: she moved into her first apartment and purchased her first car, marking critical steps toward independence and stability.

• The other studio manager is now pursuing her dream of a degree in Psychology, demonstrating the positive, long-term impacts of economic stability combined with personal empowerment.

Facility Plans and Adjustments

Our original plan included relocating to a new studio at the DePaul Center in Montebello. After acquiring this space, however, we encountered substantial budget constraints related to retrofitting the facility for our specific needs. Additionally, we noted limited foot traffic in the area, which would affect our visibility and potential for community engagement. As a result, we have decided to invest in expanding our current location instead. While we still hold the DePaul space until the end of the year, we believe this adjustment will better support our long-term goals.