The power of engaging youth to establish an arts organization in East Palo Alto

In 2010, the Goldman Foundation engaged the Gardner Center to facilitate and study youth and community engagement activities that would drive the creation of a new arts and music center in East Palo Alto. Today, the EPACENTER — conceived and developed by the youth of East Palo Alto — is described on its website as “a major hub of opportunity for all youth in the greater East Palo Alto area,” providing tuition-free arts education, job training in creative fields, and social-emotional support for young people.

The challenge

Historically, East Palo Alto has been one of the most economically disadvantaged regions of the Bay Area, with a shortage of arts programming for area youth.

The solution

The "Youth Arts and Music Center Initiative" was a six-year, community-wide effort funded by the Goldman Foundation to design and build an arts center In East Palo Alto. The Foundation tapped the Gardner Center to support this effort because of its expertise in advancing youth leadership and community engagement through both research and practice.

With support from the Gardner Center, the various parties involved in creating the center — including a group of young founding members — were able to hone the center’s mission, vision, and preliminary offerings; identify challenges and opportunities related to program and facility development; and expand partnerships that help address the challenges and leverage the opportunities.

That value of this initiative is still being felt today. As one founding youth member and current board member, Staci Edwards, says: “I’ve developed so many different skills socially and emotionally alongside my community. I feel a sense of purpose at EPACENTER.”

Key takeaways

The process used to develop the EPACENTER is a powerful example of youth assuming a leadership role in developing a new civic resource. Key lessons:

Art is a great unifier, offering a means through which the multicultural community of East Palo Alto could come together.

An inclusive decision-making process that included adult and youth stakeholders was important in garnering support for the initiative.

The initiative deliberately placed youth in positions with clear roles and expectations.

Ensuring that youth remained at the center required significant training and dedication on the part of adult leaders, as well as long-term and time-intensive commitment from youth.