The Creative Futures Lab

Access to tech and creative industry employment

Antelope Valley

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

Many youths in the Antelope Valley, particularly those from low-income, foster, or justice-impacted backgrounds, lack access to creative and tech-based education, mentorship, and employment pathways. Despite LA’s thriving creative economy, systemic barriers such as underfunded schools, limited exposure to technology, and a lack of culturally relevant programming leave these young people excluded from opportunities to participate and thrive. As the creative and tech industries rapidly evolve, the gap between those with access and those without continues to widen. This initiative seeks to address these disparities by creating a supportive, youth-centered space where creativity, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship intersect, empowering participants to shape their own futures and contribute to the region’s innovation economy.

The Creative Futures Lab is an innovative, early-stage program designed to empower underserved youth in the Antelope Valley through hands-on training at the intersection of technology, digital arts, and entrepreneurship. This grant will support the launch of a 12-week pilot program where youth ages 14–24, particularly those impacted by foster care, homelessness, or the justice system, will explore creative careers in areas such as digital media production, music tech, AI-powered design, and content creation.
Participants will gain access to industry tools, mentorship from professionals, and real-world experience through paid internships and portfolio development. The program will also include workshops on brand-building, financial literacy, and launching creative micro-businesses. A trauma-informed, peer-led approach will ensure the space is culturally relevant, healing-centered, and empowering.
Designed to be scalable and replicable, the Creative Futures Lab has the potential to transform how disconnected youth across LA access the creative economy, shifting them from the margins to the center of innovation.

If the Creative Futures Lab is successful, Los Angeles County will see more young people from marginalized communities actively shaping and leading in the creative and tech industries. Youth who were once disconnected from opportunity will be equipped with marketable skills, digital portfolios, and entrepreneurial mindsets, positioning them as creators, innovators, and business owners. Neighborhoods historically excluded from the creative economy will become vibrant hubs of talent and expression, fueling local culture and economic growth. By reducing barriers to entry and promoting equity in high-growth sectors, this work will contribute to a more inclusive, diverse, and resilient Los Angeles, where all youth, regardless of background, have a real shot at success and self-determination.