We ought to unfold the jubilant, lively and colorful spirit within us. In painting or doing other things, we should bring vitality and happiness to this world.

Greetings, lovely viewers, and welcome to Good People, Good Works. This week’s show features Art Share Los Angeles, a wonderful non-profit organization located in the Arts District of Los Angeles, California, USA. Art Share operates a community-based arts learning center whose goals are to change lives among the area’s underprivileged and provide a safe shelter and workplace where both emerging and established local artists can exhibit and perform.

My name is Rocio Diaz. I am sixteen years old, about to turn seventeen.

I love Art Share because it creates the person I am today. Without Art Share I wouldn’t be the person I am today.

Art Share’s two-story, nearly 3,000-square-meter facility features a visual and ceramic arts studio with kiln on the ground floor, an extended art gallery, a 450-person capacity space for dance and theater performances and an administrative area. The building’s second story contains 30 low-rent lofts to support and house artists who qualify for government housing assistance based on income.

Art Share is a community center, it’s an art incubator, and what we do is we provide free art classes for low-income teens, anything from painting, to hip-hop dance, ballet, jazz, spoken word, film classes, graffiti art, and mosaics. And we recently have a recording studio, so we are teaching kids how to record their own music.

The main programs offered by Art Share include “BLAST” or Building Language and Art Skills Together, where professional artists hold free classes to teach at-risk and disadvantaged youth; “FACT” or Families and Communities Together, a supportive service that helps reconnect youths and parents; and the Community Artists Exhibitions Program, a platform for artists to present month-long solo and group shows.

Attracted by its reputation and benevolent work, talented artists and visionaries from all walks of life gather at Art Share and use their skills to make constructive contributions to society. Working as Art Share’s program director for more than eight years, and executive director for three, the farsighted Tracy Kelly continues to make invaluable contributions to Art Share, including pioneering the “BLAST” program.

I came to Art Share actually looking for space to create a diversity training program for teenagers. I thought that art was a really good way to bring people together. And it has been a very good way. But when I got here, I had about a hundred students that didn’t speak English. So what we created was a program where they got two hours worth of English classes and two hours worth of art classes to help them learn English. So that’s how we got started.

And then I incorporated that into dance, into film, vocal classes, theater classes, and we incorporate it in all the classes now; there’s always an English language learning component to all the classes.

The Families and Communities Together program is directed by Ricardo Perez, a passionate artist who uses his talents to encourage youth to rediscover themselves through art, bring them closer to their families and better understand one another.

The FACT program is the six-month program that is family based. So we invite youth that are referred from their school, because they’re having problems at school, and we invite the families to participate in the program because it’s shown that usually when children are having difficulties at school, it’s because most likely something’s going on at home, and so we invite the parents and the youth, so together they can build on better improving their communication skills at home.

Art Share’s enjoyable, innovative programs have won the hearts of the local students who come and spend their after-school hours in and around the facility, where they can meet like-minded friends and learn and do what they’re interested in.

I was a part of “spoken word” performance, three dance classes, a 3D paper mache class and a painting class. So I decided to take on everything I can, and through each and every class I’ve learned so much. I’ve learned so many aspects in art that if you want a painting to be really tangible, you have to think about every single detail there is in like, the human face.

Dance just taught me to be very disciplined with myself. If I want something I better go for it and I can’t hold back. It actually opened up my eyes to a big possible range of professions in the dance industry; there are so many things I can go to, and it’s overwhelming.

Spoken word poetry, it’s taught me to actually open up and it made me realize that my voice is important. There are lots and lots of young adults and teens that feel that their voice isn’t worth anything and I just believe that isn’t true. So in a lot of my poetry I talk about we have to speak, we have to be heard, because if not, things are just going to keep on going the way they are.

So ‘Art Share L.A.’ has really helped me become a better person. It’s teaching me to be more professional and I’m ready to take on some other responsibilities a grown person should.

If I was to be able to teach here (at Art Share), it would set an example for kids. I also stood in here once too, and I’m a teacher now. So it shows progress. And I would just love to get Art Share out there. There are too many non-profit organizations that just go unheard of. So I want to be able to push Art Share out there along with other ones, so teens can actually have a place to go and, open up their mind.

When we return, we’ll learn more about Art Share and how the arts bring a new dimension to students’ lives. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television.

My name is Enrique Lopez and I’m eighteen. I love Art Share because Art Share made me love art, and it’s just brought a lot of things to me. It brought dance, and I was able to do my solo and show it to people. And I love Art Share because it’s like my second family.

Welcome back to Good People, Good Works. We are visiting Art Share, an innovative non-profit organization in Los Angeles, USA which uses the arts to improve the lives of at-risk youth and provides family counseling services as well as subsidized housing for low-income local artists. Youth that participate in Art Share’s programs perform better in school and have more definite plans for the future.

We actually have a 92% graduation rate from the students in our program, that graduate from high school, and about 70% of those students typically go on to college. So I think what we’re doing, especially now in a time where we recognize that a lot of the arts programs are cut from high schools, we’re really filling that gap and providing a very much needed service, where students oftentimes can actually see and understand the outlets that their artistic talent can lead to in a professional capacity.

Hi, I’m Tessa Elbettar, and this is my piece, if you can see it. My parents are both born in Iraq. I was born here (USA). For me art is just a big part of my life and I attended art high school. Every day I’m doing art, so I think that’s the best way, for me especially, to express yourself and I think that this gallery was a great opportunity to bring my roots into art which is the thing that I do best.

I think it’s just a great program, and it’s such a great way for kids to present their art to the public. It’s just a great program because it gives us an opportunity that we would never normally have to present ourselves, so I really appreciate everything that they (Art Share) did so far.

Art Share’s work has gained the recognition of Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard of the US House of Representatives who stated that Art Share’s programs “are responsive to the community’s needs (by) empowering individuals and families through artistic development.” Executive director Tracy Kelly now takes us on a tour of this inspirational place of learning.

Welcome to Art Share. This is command central. This is the center where everything happens. We have finance here, this is where the kids come in and hang out and get their initial hugs and talk to the staff. And then Danyol Jaye over here makes things happen.

This painting: “The Graduate,” which is one of Art Share’s goals, to make sure all the teens that come to this center graduate high school, was done by an artist named Dan Wooster, one of the first professional artists that got involved in Art Share in the year 2000.

This is our art classroom. In here there are ceramics classes, mosaics classes, painting, and graffiti arts. Today is Friday so if we weren’t doing our performance today, we would have graffiti arts class and papier-mâché class today. Here, as you see, there’s another Wooster, and you can see how the students have been working on their last minute touches for their paintings, which are now hung in the gallery.

This is our hall gallery. This is another professional artist that showed his work here three months ago. And it was a very inspirational art exhibit. We can make art out of anything. So here you are, a graffiti arts chair. Then we’ll come back here to our library, where we collect books for students to use for book reports or just general reading. We call it the Lesley Gilb Taplin Library.

Lesley was a big supporter of Art Share, she collected books and made sure that students always had books to read, whether homeless, low income, or underprivileged. This theatre is where we do dance classes, hip hop, jazz, salsa, karate classes, vocal classes and acting classes, to say the least.

As you can see, we have all the student artwork hanging in the gallery, they’ve been working on it for six months and the theme, as you know, is: “It takes a village, communities working together.” And we think it’s really, really awesome what they’ve come up with.

Wow! What a lovely place for young artists to foster their innate creativity and exchange ideas! Our heartfelt thanks go to all the dedicated staff of Art Share and its volunteers for their loving guidance and support in empowering youth to achieve their life’s dreams.

Art Share has really brought a lot of opportunities here. I just want to thank them. They’re so helpful.

For more details on Art Share, please visit ArtShareLA.org

Cheerful viewers, we enjoyed your presence today on Good People, Good Works. Join us again next Sunday for the second and final part of our visit to Art Share Los Angeles. May your spirits be lifted by heavenly inspiration.

Friends of the Hound is an animal welfare organization in Australia that is dedicated to rescuing and re-homing greyhounds in pounds and who have been a part of the cruel greyhound racing industry.

Most of our dogs are surrendered by trainers. We do rescues from local pounds as well. They're a big dog but they're so quiet. They don't need a lot of exercise and they're really easy to have around.

Learn more about these loving canines on “Greyhound Rescue: Friends of the Hound in Australia - Parts 1 and 2” airing Thursday and Friday, June 10 and 11, on Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants.

Hi, my name is Ashley Clemente. I love Art Share because you always get to do what you want like dance, art, singing and acting. And everyone works here as a family so you can talk about problems with someone; they’ll listen to you. I like the kindness of Art Share and it’s just a really good place.

Greetings, serene viewers, and welcome to Good People, Good Works. This week’s show is the second part of our two-part series on Art Share Los Angeles, a wonderful non-profit organization located in the Arts District of Los Angeles, California, USA. Art Share operates a community-based arts learning center whose goals are to change lives among the area’s underprivileged and provide a safe shelter and workplace where both emerging and established local artists can exhibit and perform.

Art Share is a community center, it’s an art incubator, and what we do is we provide free art classes for low-income teens, anything from painting, to hip-hop dance, ballet, jazz, spoken word, film classes, graffiti art, mosaics. And we recently have a recording studio, so we are teaching kids how to record their own music.

I like art because it’s a good hobby. You get to figure out the beauty of it, and sometimes when you really pay attention you can find that you’re a good artist and you can paint beautiful stuff.

More than just a place to meet, Art Share’s classes provide an opportunity for young artists to thrive and feel free to express themselves in a rewarding environment.

Art Share let me change because I used to be really shy when I was small. And then, dancing and doing art, allowed me to communicate with people better, and have an understanding of people, because I meet people from different backgrounds, and I get to know about people around the world, and I also learn how to respect my elders, and respect my peers as well, and how to work together as a group.

Hi, my name is Catherine Yamez. I love Art Share because they teach you one by one, and that Art Share is more like your family; they treat you like it. I love Art Share because we go out to places and I love dancing and singing.

The family-like support provided by Art Share helps students learn self confidence and empowers them to open up and freely communicate their thoughts and concerns.

Kids are really passionate and they have really deep feelings about a lot of things that you can see in the artwork. They’re concerned about the community, they are concerned about nature, and what we are doing to the air and Earth. They have a lot of concerns about the society that we’ve created and how they fit into it.

So, it’s a part of saying, “You (kids) are part of the society, we do care what you think. I know, we don’t always ask you, because we forget.” But you have to speak up and being more confident and doing that, it helps you figure out where you belong.

I had one kid that he took an art class, and he just became so enraptured with the art class that it totally changed his life. He graduated high school and he’s now going to Pasadena City College and he’s a law student. So, it really can change your life. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you are going to become an artist, but it will help you grow.

Danyol Jaye has been involved with the entertainment industry since he was seven years old. He is currently the administrative assistant and events coordinator for Art Share.

When I first got here I was the student and so I got the support as a student

Art Share really cultivated something and they reminded me that, no matter what it is that you’re going through, if you have no money, if you’re homeless, whatever, we’re here. They continued to remind me that you always have someone that you can trust. You always have someone here that you can talk to. You always have someone here who is willing to help you with any resources that we have.

There was a point in my life where, as much as I love singing and anyone who knows me knows that singing is my passion, there was a point where I just didn’t want to do it anymore; I didn’t want to push. And when I got to that point, Art Share and the people at Art Share, Tracy Kelly especially, started giving me performing opportunities and said, “I have someone who wants to hear you sing.”

And just by her doing that and by the people that were here at the time, just by them coming and supporting and saying, “You sound great, you were wonderful, I want to work with you,” it really, really changed my perception on what I do. And Art Share reminded me that “You are important.” You are already a star, everybody else is just taking a while to figure it out. They literally helped me to know that I have purpose.

Art Share has been my safe haven and now that I’m not a student, that safe haven that was there for me, I get to help that become a safe haven for somebody else.

The only thing that I would add is that I, at the deepest of my heart, in the very depth of my heart and soul, I wish and I pray daily that people truly understand how important art and music and creativity is in the lives of teens and adults.

When we return, we’ll learn about how Art Share is helping foster cross-cultural understanding in the US. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television.

I’m David Estrada. I love Art Share because it’s a home. I learn to open up with people through art and dance, and it just helps me grow as a person.

Kids who grow up through art and music, they will be different people (with) different thinking and they will share that love and give to the world peace, humanity and culture.

Welcome back to Good People, Good Works. We’re visiting Art Share, a splendid non-profit organization in the Arts District of Los Angeles, California, USA that uses the arts to help transform the lives of young people.

Art Share is a gallery that’s brought a lot of kids from Los Angeles classes in photography, art, music, helping them in their education, helping them in their schooling, teaching them art, teaching them how to color, and teaching them how to dance.

A recent exhibition hosted by Art Share was entitled “Artists & Art of Mesopotamia in Los Angeles.” Its highlight was the works of Chaldo-Assyrian artists from Iran and Iraq that Iraqi-American artist Paul Batou has collected over the years. It was a joyous cultural event that celebrated diversity.

We have some art pieces from Iraqi kids who lived in Iraq. They joined the American kids to build a bridge of love and peace through art, music and poetry.

I sent some art supplies to the school there(Iraq), and the kids sent back to me 14 pieces of art. The dreams of all kids are the same around the world; a dream of having family, home, security, school and to practice art, music, poetry, and sport in peace; that they can grow and contribute to the world’s well being.

When I told them we will exhibit their art, they felt so happy, like somebody will look at their dreams and will look at their hope as if like a big message was being sent to the public of the United States of America. These kids are the same as any kids around the world. They have the same dreams. They need homes, they need families, they need medicine, they need food, they need hobbies, they need music, and they need art.

As an artist, I feel art is important for all the kids. Art will help them be more creative, help them dream, and they’ll have more thoughts. Art will help you even in your academic studies. So these kids after school, they come to Art Share to learn dance or music or art or photography. This is what helps them in the future. Art and music will help to create a good mind, a beautiful mind.

Together, the community of Art Share creates a loving and heartening environment for the city’s youngsters to thrive and prepares them to become the best they can be in life.

We’re a family and we all really love each other. And I’m a hugger. And we all learn that you come in, you give me a hug, you go to class. Yes, we are a big family. I love to see the kids grow up and change, and take responsibility and leadership roles. They go from not speaking and hiding under the big hood, and the head down and not looking at anyone in the eye to really communicating with you, looking you in the eye, and sharing how they feel. I really like to see that.

I love Art Share because they’re a great non-profit organization and they’ve helped me out a lot… finding my inner self. It’s really great being here; it’s like a whole new family. And I just love Art Share. It’s a place to come and settle down and feel like home.

I want to say “thank you” to Saria, who is my poetry teacher. Thank you to Liz, who is my Jazz - Hip Hop teacher. Thank you to Eddie J., who is my other teacher of Jazz and Hip Hop. And also thank you to Daniel J., and Tracy, and Amanda, and, there’s a lot of people to name, I just can’t name them all, but I really want to give thanks to everyone, because they’ve all been there for me, and especially Martha, she’s one of my biggest mentors around, and thank you, and I love you guys.

Our thanks go to all of Art Share’s staff and volunteers for their benevolent work that brings the uplifting arts to various communities in Los Angeles, California, USA. Their loving kindness has constructively touched and transformed the lives of countless youth and families.

Thank you, Art Share, for making me the person I am and for teaching me each skill I have and developing the successful person I know I will be in the future.

For more details on Art Share, please visit ArtShareLA.org

Generous viewers, we enjoyed your presence today on Good People, Good Works. Up next is The World Around Us, after Noteworthy News. May we color the world with our divine artistic nature.

And I just pray that people really start to support and start to recognize that we need to encourage our teens and young adults, and I think if you don’t know of a place that does that, Art Share is one of the best places that you can come and see, the product of what we do and support us for having great students.

Thanks to the unwavering, loving efforts of International Animal Rescue, which is based in the UK, 600 wild bears in India have been liberated from being forced to dance for so-called entertainment.

The bears are looked after, inside our sanctuaries, and we have a commitment to those bears for the rest of their lives.

Meet members of International Animal Rescue, the recipient of the Shining World Compassion Award as well as Shining World Hero Award recipient Susie, a caring canine, Thursday, June 17 on Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants.

HOST: Greetings, lovely viewers, and welcome to Good People, Good Works. This week’s show features
Art Share Los Angeles, a wonderful non-profit organization located in the Arts District of Los Angeles,
California, USA.

Art Share operates a community-based arts learning center whose goals are to change lives among
the area’s underprivileged and provide a safe shelter and workplace where both emerging and established local artists can exhibit and perform.

For more details on Art Share, please visit
ArtShareLA.org