Gordon Philanthropies celebrates the opening of the Student’s Library in partnership with Homeboy Industries Youth Re-Entry Center.

In recent partnership with Homeboy Industries Youth Re-entry Center, Gordon Philanthropies is proud to announce the opening of its first-ever library for LA youth.

The Homeboy Youth Re-entry Center, launched in 2020, was created with the goal of “preventing high-risk gang-affiliated youth from entering the adult prison system.” Since its establishment, the re-entry annually serves nearly 100 formerly incarcerated or gang-involved youth ranging from ages 14-24. Services include, “therapeutic wraparound services, such as mental health, academic, college preparation, and career readiness.”

Despite the chaos amid the global struck of COVID in 2020, Homeboy Industries remained true to their committment of providing services to formerly incarcerated individuals. This time, with the goal of serving formerly incarcerated youth leading them to create the first-ever youth re-entry center in Los Angeles County. In connection with the Learning Works Charter School, the Youth Re-entry Center is a saftey net, aiming to serve youth who are re-entering from juvenile detention centers/camps as well as youth who have dropped out of high school.

Offering over 40 classes weekly with a wide selection of subjects, the academic curriculum delivers “support in high school equivalency test preparation, college readiness, reading and writing.”

The library was a joint project between Gordon Philanthropies and Youth Re-entry Center’s staff and students as they eagerly worked together to help design and create a library to their liking. Program Director Sylvia Beanes shared, “The goal was for the students to choose the color palette, design, furnishings, and books, as well as to take ownership of their space. For many, the center is their home and so it was important for us that this space was something they would be proud of.”

Participating students were also offered school credit, each student had to sign-up for a specific task and complete a set of responsibilities. Some served as project managers, others were buyers, there were accountants, a book committee, and artists to name a few.

The library was completed in three days. The students pulled together and supported each other whenever someone felt lost with a specific task. There were disagreements on the color scheme and chosen furniture pieces, but it was managed in a collegial way by the students themselves. We asked Natalie, what she learned about the project, “Teamwork and how it works.” She went on to say, “I didn’t think we would agree on anything, but then it all worked out.” The library is warm, inviting, and, as the kids describe it, “a safe space just for us”.

For the Gordon Philanthropies staff, the project was a joy. While there were deadlines and many moving parts, the students energetic nature made the library an exciting project. In being surrounded by the young adults, their playful nature, and their great sense of humor, it was a reminder for our staff on the value of laughter, friendship, and commitment.