Shortly after wildfires broke out in Los Angeles and devastated our city in January, our Visual Arts Teaching Artists began facilitating art classes for kids impacted by the disasters.
Care Camps across LA County sprung up – an initiative in partnership with LA Phil’s YOLA at Hola, LA County Parks and Recreation, City of LA, The Music Center, LA Opera and Center Theatre Group.
Artists led classes at the LA Arboretum in Arcadia, Pamela Park in Duarte, Descanso Gardens in Flintridge, and the Mars Vista Recreation Center. All in pursuit of providing a safe space for kids to heal through the arts.
Patricia Yossen, visual art Teaching Artist led children ranging from 5 to teenagers through a hand-building clay activity.
“The experience was very humbling and mobilizing. Seeing so many families and kids affected by the terrible fires just being kids, just playing and laughing and having fun with clay, telling stories, sharing what happened to their school and homes was very moving, ” said Yossen.
“It feels good to be part of a big ecosystem of institutions and artists that show up to support in a moment of so much need,” she continued.
Teaching Artists continued to lead lesson plans throughout January based on social and emotional wellness.
Creativity Takes Center Stage in Dynamic Arts Meetup
As opportunities for youth and young adults to explore their creativity and well-being continue to evolve, a powerful collaboration with Heart of Los Angeles (Heart of LA) is creating new possibilities for personal growth and expression.
In November, Heart of Los Angeles along with several organizations — WLCAC, Arts2Work, and Youth Work Source all united to empower young artists.
Heart of LA, Watts Art Effect, Arts2Work, and Youth Work Source joined forces at the Watts Labor Community Action Committee campus for a transformative event. The focus was bringing together teaching artists, staff, and educators to tackle the challenges youth face through the power of art.
This event was more than just a series of workshops—it was a day designed to empower and inspire. Educators and staff participated in art activities and a lively drum circle. At its heart was a belief that when young people engage both their minds and bodies through creative activities, they can unlock personal growth.
“Movement and art are integrative,” explains Benjamin Hall, LMFT, Associate Clinical Director at the Southern California Counseling Center (SCCC). “They engage our whole bodies and brains, helping us to regulate and find balance.”
Hall is a therapist at SCCC on the WLCAC campus where Watts Art Effect: Heart of LA youth attend weekly teen group meetings. He’s also a passionate drummer enthusiast who co-facilitates drumming lessons for youth of all ages to get in touch with themselves and each other with fellow drummer and artist, Kemit Johnson.
Expert Voices
“Most of the spaces that young people are in – there are power dynamics and hierarchies.., whether that’s teachers in school, or parents and caregivers at home. When they come into [this] space, and y’all are working together – everyone’s voice has value,” said Hall.
Nara Hernandez, Senior Visual Arts Director at Heart of LA, emphasizes that creative activities like drumming and art workshops play an important role in fostering community connection.
“We share space with SCCC, so they are an amazing tool and asset to have for the communities that we serve. Just like writing, drawing, [or] film … music is another way to connect and communicate,” said Hernandez.
For arts educators like Marlené Lopez, this event was an opportunity to create deeper connections to holistically support our shared community. Lopez, a teaching artist at Heart of Los Angeles, led a healing drawing circle rooted in her Guatemalan Mayan heritage.
“Drawing takes us back to a place of childhood—where we were playful, curious, and open to new ideas,” she shares. Lopez’ hope is that through this practice, we can access those emotions and memories that sometimes feel buried.
The circle encouraged participants to reflect on their personal journeys. Lopez invited the group to engage with spiritual materials, like oracle cards, as prompts for their art. “Everyone picked a card that resonated with them. Then we began drawing and sharing what came up. The experience was emotional. There’s so many many feelings in our world right now, and art gives us a way to express it,” she explains.
The power of these trauma-informed creative spaces is that they provide young people with a sense of agency and connection. When young people are invited to collaborate on a shared playlist, for example, it becomes a simple yet profound act of expression. “Getting a young person to add their own song to a playlist is more than just about the music,” explains Hall. “It’s about listening to them, understanding what feels important to them right now. It’s a way to connect, to meet them where they are,”says Hall.
This event aligns with Heart of LA’s mission to help young people overcome barriers by providing exceptional, free programs that foster personal growth and creative expression.
