Support Us - The Actors' Gang

Every child deserves a chance

Our Education Department serves marginalized and under-resourced students across Los Angeles County, and it’srunning at full capacity. Teaching Artists are running workshops at schools both during and after regular school hours, back to running full programming in the Ivy Substation, and working with students all across Los Angeles County.

The Education Department’s continues to grow and support schools and families in underserved communities. In the last 8 months they have worked with over 1000 students across the Compton Unified School District, Culver City Unified School District, Los Angeles Unified School District, and Pasadena Unified School District. Most of their in-school work occurs in Title I schools, and financial assistance is provided to any student in need for workshops that take place at the theater.

And, as if that wasn’t enough, the Education Department is now bringing theater into schools! Our free Shakespeare in the Park production of Much Ado About Pooh is the first production to be offered to LA schools in our new educational touring program. The play received its first school performance at Compton’s Washington Elementary School.

Every person deserves hope

Since its humble beginnings with one prison in 2006, the Prison Project has conducted rehabilitative programs on 16 yards in 14 California State Prisons. Now in its 17th year, the Prison Project has over 3,245 people who have participated in our programs in prisons, reentry, and youth facilities. We are annually serving 400 people in prisons, 100 people in reentry facilities, 80 system-impacted youth, and 77 members of our Alumni Advocacy Project – an initiative designed to serve our numerous participants who have paroled, providing individual support and a thriving community for those returning home.

Statistics from an Impact Justice study have shown an 89.9% decrease in in-prison infractions among our participants, and only a 10.6% recidivism rate as per the CDCR.

The Reentry Project has served 450 incarcerated men and women since 2016, at Walden House and the Anti-Recidivism Coalition. A study shows that 77% of the previously incarcerated male participants who have completed The Actors’ Gang Reentry Project have obtained employment or entered into trade preparation. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 60% to 75% of men and women released from prison each year remain unemployed for up to a year after their release, raising their risk of recidivism.

Working with justice-impacted youth is another important component of the Prison Project’s offerings. Youth Project teaching teams at BHS in Lincoln Heights, Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, and Community Warriors 4 Peace include Alumni Teaching Artists, whose lived experience gives the instant credibility with the young people participating. In the past 6 years, the Youth Project has served over 356 incarcerated and in-community youth.

How you can help?