About AAH&P

The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world. Some people see things as they are and say why; I dream things that never were and say why not. A life is not important except for the impact it has on other lives. Over the years, I have been involved with many charitable organizations as a donor, board member and volunteer: The Center for Reflective Parenting, Heart of Los Angeles, Cathedral Chapel School, Good Shepherd School, Hospitaller Foundation, Rotary, Rancho San Antonio Boys Home, St. Martin of Tours School, Resurrection School, The Ebell of Los Angeles, The Knights of Columbus, Francisco Homes, Good Shepherd Shelter for Battered Women & Children, Get On the Bus, Homeboy Industries, Meals on Wheels, The Leukemia Society, Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women & Children, Lift Up the Vulnerable, and The St. Vincent de Paul Society. I recently went to work for one last charity and that's why I titled this email: THIS IS IT. I am absolutely thrilled to have joined Global Arts as an advisor. Global Arts is a nonprofit organization located in the Pico Union area of Los Angeles compassionately serving underserved children by teaching them music. Pico Union is a very old area of Los Angeles, as well as a very poor area. It is a very densely populated neighborhood of 42 thousand people, most of whom recently came from Mexico and Central America. The average family in this neighborhood has an annual income of $26,000. They are barely able to keep a roof over their heads and food on their tables. They are good hardworking people, who want to give their children a better life. They were always Americans; they were just born in the wrong country. I know the people of this neighborhood very well. I have two godchildren who live there: Gabriel and America. Global Arts is the only organization of its kind in the Pico Union area. Today, we live in an era of indifference, where the poor have become emblems of exclusion. They are often looked down upon and considered the source of all of society's ills. That attitude is an alarm bell warning of the moral decline we will face if we continue to give ground to the throw-away culture. For this reason, the presence of vulnerable people is an invitation to recover our humanity. When we show concern for others, we show concern for ourselves and for everyone. In taking care of them, we all grow. It is not just about them, but about all of us, and about the present and future of the human family. We should never look down on anyone unless we are helping them up. Global Arts' mission is to contribute to educational equity by providing exceptional music classes for underserved youth. We also provide professional development for educators. We cultivate a nurturing learning environment for youth. The learning environment is intentionally centered around music, community, and personal growth. We have created a learning environment where difference is valued, and where equity and inclusion are practiced. Music's role in a child's education is key in engaging them, sparking their creativity and unique voices, and improving their overall enjoyment and success in school. A vibrant, music-rich curriculum makes an immense difference in their lives. This is our third year and we currently serve 68 students. My goal is to serve hundreds of students, but I need your help and engagement. If not you, who? If not now, when? We could have all the wealth in the world, but if we do not have charity, then we have nothing. We live in a time of crisis where the divide between the wealthiest and the poor has never been greater. I cannot change the world, but if each and everyone of us does something to help, then collectively we can change the world for the better. I beg the great and the small to share with those who have nothing. I have gone to a place where very few go; that is often ignored and forgotten. I have gone to the Pico Union area of Los Angeles, please join me. To learn more about Global Arts and hopefully make a donation, go to globalartsco.org. If you have any thoughts or questions, please call me @ 310-437-9048. I am the luckiest person on earth to know a person like you. Let's keep the music alive and help the children of Pico Union.