Thanks to donors like you, Mid-City Community Music (MCCM) has been able to assist hundreds of at-risk teens right here in Mid-City San Diego. Your support enables us to assist young people like Leo, who was struggling, and is now on track to secure his GED in 2023 as he continues to develop his entrepreneurial skills for a successful future.
Leo was expelled from school in 2018 due to a lack of engagement and poor attendance. He was transferred to 37ECB, a Juvenile Court and Community School not far from his home. There he connected with MCCM teaching artists - and began participating in a variety of our music and art programs. Leo told us, “The entrepreneurship program has helped me a lot to come out of my shell and finally feel some hope for actually having a career.” Leo has built a successful business selling his artwork online through the Mid-City Entrepreneurs program and is preparing for live musical performances at MCCM’s upcoming community concert.
MCCM currently serves more than 500 teens like Leo in some of San Diego’s most vulnerable and low-income communities. Each week they participate in a variety of 20 free art and music workshops, including poetry, guitar and keyboard instruction, ceramics, painting, and arts entrepreneurship workshops that help students like Leo start their own businesses.
Every day of the school year, six students drop out of San Diego Unified schools. Research affirms that authentic, relevant, and engaging programs like those offered by MCCM go beyond just making music and art, to help teens stay in school, find their voices and open doors they did not even know existed.
We hope that you will be able to give once again, and help us to provide life-changing workshops for students like Leo by making a gift today.