Animate Possibility: 2N Stop-Motion Collab

Access to tech and creative industry employment

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

In Los Angeles, there is an enormous vulnerable community of young Angelenos. By some estimates there are approximately 30,000 children ( enough to fill the Staples Center 2x over ) from birth to 18 whose parents, for complex and poignant reasons, cannot, either temporarily or permanently, care for them, guide them, or nurture them. Extraordinary women and men at LACO DCFS work tirelessly alongside an eco-system of agencies and non-profits to meet the needs of system impacted children but it can never be enough. We have spoken with many agency social workers charged with nurturance who feel saddened and frustrated by the strangle-hold of capacity. The sheer burden of the direct services needed precludes the luxuries of the transformative properties of generativity and creativity. 

Second Nurture, in a Collab with The Righteous Conversations Project, has just completed the first stage of an extraordinary pilot that brings artistically curious young people who have aged out of foster care to salaried film-making with young people from the broader community. Without extraordinary intervention from caring adults, agencies and non-profits, youth aging out of care statistically face a menu of possible tragic outcomes: becoming unhoused, substance addicted, sexually exploited or incarcerated. Studies and research reveal that these young people grow up to feel unworthy, invisible and “less than” because they are not seen, celebrated, or nurtured in our broader community. And that sense of worthlessness and not mattering is both societally explicit and emotionally defining for the child. These young people rely on the “Village Los Angeles” to meet their needs and we as a great city are morally compelled to respond.
In the warm embrace of our host communities, and under the guidance of high caliber industry professionals, these young people co-create short films that tell the stories of influential Los Angelenos with lived experience in foster care who have overcome extraordinary challenges to become the inspiring leaders they are today. This program aims to bring these young Angelenos into the warm embrace of mattering, into their own light and purpose, and into the loving gaze of all Los Angeles. 

If the "Animate Possibility" film project is successful, Los Angeles County will see profound benefits:
Increased Empathy and Awareness: The project will raise public awareness about the challenges and potential of youth from foster care, fostering greater empathy and understanding within the community.
Youth Empowerment: By involving system-impacted teens in creating and sharing their stories, the project will empower them with skills, confidence, and a sense of agency.
Cultural and Educational Impact: Showcasing success stories of individuals from challenging backgrounds can inspire current and future generations, influencing cultural perceptions and educational content regarding foster care.
Support for Foster Care Initiatives: Successful portrayal of foster care alumni overcoming obstacles can galvanize community support for related initiatives, potentially leading to improved resources and policies.

To measure the impact of the "Animate Possibility" project, we may:
Conduct pre- and post-event surveys with audiences to assess changes in perception and awareness about foster care challenges.
Use surveys and interviews to evaluate TAY participants' skills and confidence growth in animation and storytelling.
Track numbers and demographics of attendees at various screenings to gauge reach and interest.
Monitor retention and activity levels of TAY participants throughout the project.
Collect qualitative feedback from screenings and workshops to understand community impact.
Conduct focus groups with participants and audiences to gather in-depth insights.
Analyze engagement rates on posts related to the project to measure online interaction and reach.
Long-term Outcomes:
Conduct surveys months after the project ends to track lasting impacts on participants' careers or educational paths.
Track career or educational opportunities accessed by participants post-project.

The Righteous Conversations Project brings a decade of experience and a rich history mentoring student filmmakers to create award winning short animated films.