August 2022 Newsletter
Dear YS Community,
The summer is coming to an end and we're looking forward to our programs starting back up next month! We're also very happy to share that this year marks Young Storytellers' 25th anniversary! Share your favorite stories from the past 25 years - and if you have photos, we’d love to see them.
You can be part of the committee that will choose this year's Volunteer of the Year Award recipient, as well as nominate an outstanding volunteer. These stories and Volunteer of the Year will be highlighted at our Biggest Show on October 25th at the Theatre in the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles.
You can volunteer with us in the Fall and join our upcoming volunteer trainings and orientations.
As usual, we've highlighted voices from our community, including alum Sophia Lafaurie, volunteer and donor Abby Ex, educator Yong Kim, and Dynasty Taylor from partner organization Dynasty’s United Youth Association. Read more below!
Up and Coming
Celebrate our 25th anniversary with us: Share your favorite stories and photos from the past 25th years, donate, or sign up to volunteer!
All Head Mentors Training - August 27
If you’re a head mentor, join us to get prepped for the upcoming school year to best lead your classroom! Look out for the invitation in your email.
Volunteer Orientations - August 17, September 1, October 11
We'll be hosting monthly orientation sessions for new members of our community virtually over Zoom so you can get to know who we are as an organization, what we believe in, how we do what we do, and how you can support us. Click here to RSVP!
Trainings - Various Dates
We have specialized trainings for each of our programs, so once you determine the best fit for you, we’ll get you signed up for a training so you can prepare for the classroom.
STORYTELLER SPOTLIGHTS
Meet an Alum: Sophia Lafaurie, they/them
Alum of the Script to Stage program, 2013
What personal identities are important to you? What are you up to now?
I am a Latinx queer LA film maker/writer and a student at Ghetto Film School.
What is something you remember the most from your time at YS?
I loved working with Young Storytellers when I was a kid because it was one of the first times I got to see something I created become a reality, I think it's what really kicked off my love for writing!
It's so exciting that you're mentoring a YS student this semester- what has that experience been like for you?
So far volunteering with YS has been a blast! The children we get to work with are so creative and open minded to so many amazing ideas. Seeing them get excited about writing their stories and seeing what comes next just makes the entire experience worth it. I learn a lot from the kids too!
What do you want current and future YS students to know?
I hope current and future YS students know that YS is a safe space for any kind of story teller to think creatively and freely. It helped me become more confident in my writing at such a young age and pushed me to pursue what I love doing!
What was it like seeing your student(s)'s script performed at a Big Show?
I was so proud of the kids. I knew how hard they had worked and how nerve wracking this all was for them and for them to have their scripts be put onto a stage was everything. They were all so creative and I could tell by their reactions to each other that each of them accomplished their goal with their storytelling. They were one of the most creative and hilarious kids I had worked with and seeing them be proud of their own work and in each other was truly amazing.
Meet a Donor and Volunteer: Abby Ex, she/her
Head Mentor and Mentor of the Script to Stage program
What personal identities are important to you?
Storyteller, sister, fellow traveler, poker-player, rabble-rouser
What first brought you to YS?
I’d heard about YS for years but couldn’t mentor due to my work schedule. But when I left the studio system to be an independent producer, I had the time to say yes when [head mentor] Alison Haskovec reached out to see if anyone could step-in last minute to mentor at Valley Village in the fall of 2017. I fell in love with everything YS does and have never looked back. I equally enjoy mentoring and head mentoring now.
Why is volunteering and giving back so important to you?
First, being of service is one of the most important guiding principles in my life. It’s why we’re all here, right? And second, as a bonus, it’s a great way to get out of my own head. So, if I can use my experience in storytelling to be of service, especially to kids, then that’s a no-brainer volunteer opportunity for me.
Why do you support YS?
Watching the students find their voice -- and seeing the look on their faces when they watch how some idea that was in their heads becomes a tangible reality -- there’s no better feeling. And also, the responses from the mentors and actors who tell me this program is the best part of their week – what an incredible organization YS is to provide that for everyone involved in its many programs.
Meet an Educator: Yong Kim, he/him
Middle School Teacher
What personal identities are important to you?
Korean-Japanese-American immigrant raised in Tokyo, Japan. Moved to Los Angeles at the age of 8. Educator for over 23 years for LAUSD. Believes in project-based learning and use of multimedia tools to ignite passion in his students about Ancient Civilizations and various novels such as George Orwell’s Animal Farm. World traveler to over 45 countries. Defender of immigrant and LGBTQ students.
Why did you become an educator?
I became a teacher because of excellent educators I had in L.A. that gave me confidence in my identity and strengths. I had teachers that opened a new door of consciousness for the arts, travel, literature, and the importance of kindness. I believe it’s my duty to give back to the same L.A. school system that made me who I am today.
How long have you been working with Young Storytellers?
I have been with YS for close to 5 years with Story Lab and the Middle School Monologue Project.
What kind of impact do you think Young Storytellers has on young people?
Young Storytellers has empowered my students with giving them an awareness that their voice and their stories matter. It has given them a creative yet academic investment and confidence in their identity and their struggles while seeing the commonality of all of us.
Meet a Partner: Dynasty Taylor, she/her
Executive Director of Dynasty’s United Youth Association
What personal identities are important to you?
Education is essential to me and has become a guiding principle in my life. Coming from a poverty environment, teenage parents, parental absence, and lack of guidance made it hard for me to believe that I would amount to anything in this world. I considered myself to be "resilient by nature" due to the generational trauma that I witnessed and experienced in my childhood. My education provided me with a safe space, opportunities, and lived experiences that one day allowed me to find my true purpose and voice.
Tell us more about Dynasty’s United Youth Association (DUYA) - what's your mission?
DUYA's mission is to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality programs that promote character and cultural competence. Our strategic and innovative model helps students achieve and break the cycle of poverty. We continuously strive to enter the most vulnerable and neglected neighborhoods where the academic, emotional, health, and social needs are not being met to help students leverage their strengths and find a sense of purpose that brings meaning to their lives.
What brought you to this work?
I noticed a need for quality afterschool programs in impoverished communities due to the juvenile delinquent lifestyle I encountered in my teenage life that once led me down the wrong path. I grew up in South Central Los Angeles in a notorious neighborhood called the Jungles, which was mentioned in the "Training Day" backdrop film. Unfortunately, the neighborhood my immediate family and I grew up in wasn't really set up for people like us to prevail and be successful. The resources in low-income communities are scarce and limited, including the institutions that serve black and brown families. The exposure to opportunities I experienced through my education allowed me to find hope in a hopeless place. I was conceived by two teenage parents and raised by my grandparents, all affected by prevalent social issues, including domestic violence, gang activity, substance abuse, gun violence, and the criminal justice system. My dysfunctional childhood and the inherent academic inadequacies in the public school system motivated me to found my own non-profit organization, Dynasty's United Youth Association (DUYA), in 2014. My goal was to close the gap on educational inequalities, expose career opportunities, advocate for resources, and keep youth off the streets.
How do you see your partnership with YS?
DUYA envisions our partnership with Young Storytellers to be a collaborative effort where students are placed at the center of our work, and showing up for students in a way that adds value to their strength, identity, culture, and character. DUYA + YS share the same values that help strengthen communities, empower equity, and meet students where they are.
What else do you want to share about your org?
In June 2021, DUYA just opened its first learning center in Inglewood, CA, where we will have our annual back-to-school event on Saturday, August 13, 2022, from 12 pm- 2 pm. We will host food, games, raffles, and giveaways for the students and families.
