It has been a very eventful Spring! So much so that we haven't had a chance to update you on all the things our Boys to Men After School program participants have been up to.  So let's catch you up...

The New Year began with some spice as our students got the opportunity to learn more about an exciting  form of artistic expression, one that blends elements of both Black and Brown culture! In learning how to dance "Salsa", our boys and girls understood more deeply the "movement" behind certain movements! You can see photos in our gallery... The kids continue to take Salsa lessons after school every Tuesday in the program thanks to Ms. Adunni our dance instructor.

The students have also been hard at work studying the history of one of our country's most unfortunate episodes of injustice.  In studying the tragic events surrounding Emmit Till's death and the trial of his murderer's, the kids understand the systems of oppression that still plague our nation.  Yet through dramatic role play and recreation of the courtroom, our boys and girls are able to see the possibilities our justice system can offer in transformational social change.  More about the Emmit Till story can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmett_Till
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/till/  and http://www.emmetttillmurder.com/

Other topics the after school program has been able to delve into include financial literacy lectures with our good friends from US Bank and Hygiene and the history of the Barbering Arts with our friend "Q" the Barber. 

The kids have also been able to venture out to see some exhibits both at the Museum of Natural History, "Gershwin Alone" at the Pasadena Playhouse and the IMAX theatre.

In the coming weeks we will be learning about film and book publishing with a series of lectures from our friends at Cyber Studios in Culver City.  We will also be visiting the Pasadena Playhouse again to see "Twist" in June.

We will also be preparing for our two big end of the year events, our 4th Annual Rites of Passage Camping trip and our End of the Year Fundraiser Banquet.  Stay tuned for more updates!