Community Development Authority logo HARBOR HILLS PUBLIC HOUSING YOUNG ARTISTS SHOWCASE THEIR TALENT

Boys and Girls Club Art Program Pop Up Connects with the Community in San Pedro

San Pedro, June 3, 2022 – The Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) was proud to celebrate Harbor Hills youth participants at this year’s Boys and Girls Club of the Los Angeles Harbor (BGCLAH) Fine Arts Program Pop Up held yesterday. The Program featured colorful paintings and creative photography by local K-12 Boys and Girls Club participants, including Harbor Hills youth. Through the display, the community enjoyed local art and celebrated young artists.

Art was on display at the Crown Plaza Harbor Hotel, located in San Pedro, and included drawings, paintings, collages, photography, as well as mixed media, and line embroidery work. In attendance was the LACDA’s Chief of Programs, Tracie Mann, as well as Mike Lansing, Chief Executive Officer of BGCLAH. The event provided an opportunity for youth to connect with their community through art, education, and culture.

As an onsite partner at the Harbor Hills Public Housing community, the Boys and Girls Club provides various activities for school-aged residents. Students can pick from a variety of afterschool classes that may be of interest to them. These classes include music, dance, recording arts, film production, photography, video game design, and graphic arts.

“This is a great program that allows kids to explore their creativity and express themselves,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “I want to thank the Boys and Girls Club of the Los Angeles Harbor for being such an important partner in this effort and the work they do every day to support local kids and their families.”

Art classes can help children of all ages develop important social and language skills. Additionally, they have proven helpful for overall mental health and can improve academic participation for at-risk youth. The LACDA is pleased to support Harbor Hills youth as they explore their art skills.

“We are delighted to see such interest in the arts and talent among our youth at Harbor Hills,” said Emilio Salas, LACDA Executive Director. “Partnerships such as with the BGCLAH help keep our residents vibrant and active, no matter their age. These types of activities help encourage our residents’ brilliant art skills.”

“The Boys and Girls Club is my home away from home; it has all the activities and is the place to be when I don’t want to be outside. It’s a great place to be,” said Kelin Lewis, a Harbor Hills resident and Boys and Girls Club member. “The Boys and Girls Club helps me with my homework, here I can learn and stay focused. It encourages me to stay in my hobbies and actually participate in them.”

Kelin will be in 12th grade this fall and has already been accepted into art school, which he plans to attend once graduating from high school next year. He attributes the Boys and Girls Club for encouraging him to stay interested in the arts.

For more information about the Harbor Hills Public Housing community, please contact Ebony Jones, Harbor Hills and South County Resident Services Coordinator, at (626) 233-6414. All media may contact Elisa Vásquez, LACDA Public Information Officer, at (626) 586-1762.