Inspiring a generation of diverse creators

Access to Creative Industry Employment (sponsored by the Snap Foundation)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative

According to the most recent LA County Arts and Culture Department demographic study, the creative arts field does not yet match the diversity of our county. While White people are only 26% of LA County, they make up nearly 60% of this workforce. Non-whites remain vastly underrepresented with Latinos at 20%, Asians at 9%, and Black people at 5%. This is especially true behind the camera (a large part of LA's creative economy) where only 17% of directors and 12% of writers are people of color. One of the first steps to securing a career is by offering real-life examples of what that professional pathway can look like. By connecting underrepresented people in the creative arts with high school students, PLUS ME will help inspire a new generation who more accurately represent the diversity of our county. As guest speakers from a variety of creative fields describe why and how they entered their jobs, they offer powerful models for young people to follow and expand upon.

PLUS ME will bring our Guest Speakers program to forty high school classes at schools with a population of at least 75% students of color. There will be two guest speaker presentations in each class, representing different creative arts disciplines. Each volunteer guest speaker receives a ninety minute training and builds a story based on the characters, settings, events, and lessons that brought them to their career. They also have access to one-on-one feedback sessions with our staff to fine-tune the structure of their stories and ensure the delivery is engaging for students. Every story is centered on a career pathway and is approved by staff before guest speakers are matched with a classroom. Volunteers are encouraged to vulnerably connect with students, leaving impressionable memories. Initial classroom presentations are scheduled for the Fall semester. In the Spring, Guest Speakers have the opportunity to deepen the knowledge shared with students by returning to the same classroom later depending on interest from educators and students. This hour-long conversation will center around specific questions prepared by students and tailored to their future career interests and the experience of the guest speaker. This opportunity for students to ask questions of guest speakers is especially important so they can better understand the specific challenges of entering a slowly diversifying workforce and how they can be overcome.

If this Guest Speaker series is successful, the representation of people of color within the creative arts industry will begin to match the diversity of our city and country. In the 2019 LA County Arts and Culture demographic report there was evidence that younger people in these fields are already closer to matching the ethnic diversity of LA County. We hope to continue to improve upon this trend by connecting students from underrepresented backgrounds to those who have "made it'' in this competitive field. Shifting culture is a small but essential aspect of addressing systemic inequity. That would mean a flourishing of stories, experiences, and artworks that more fully represent the variety of experiences and perspectives across LA County and beyond. This work feels especially important as the creative fields in our county have reach far beyond Los Angeles, through avenues like Hollywood and the fact that we are the second largest city in the United States.

We have been measuring impact and gaining participant feedback since we launched public programming in 2016, primarily through post-program surveys. Students receive a virtual survey (shared through their teachers) after completing both the guest speaker presentations and in-depth Q&A. On a scale of 1-5, surveys will measure the quality of the presentation overall (was it engaging?), relevance of the story shared, and whether each student is more inspired to enter the creative arts. Open-ended answers will gather any remaining questions students may have and general feedback for the program. We will also collect survey data from guest speaker volunteers to assess the general experience building and delivering their stories, suggestions for adjusting the program, and memorable highlights of connection with students.