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| ABOUT KICKS FOR A CAUSE |
Kicks for a Cause is a non-profit founded by seven students at the University of Southern California driven by a desire to further diversity and empower others to affect change in the world.
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Los Angeles is often a microcosm of several domestic or global issues that face our world, from gang violence to pollution to the war on drugs to the varying views on immigration. L.A. Area students, like the ones from Boyle Heights and South Los Angeles with whom we are joining forces, are often exposed to the uglier aspects of our society. |
| Jefferson High School, for instance, was the subject of a June 2006 Los Angeles Times article in which the students’ local environment was illuminated: |
“Jefferson's students come from neighborhoods with some of the city's highest rates of crime, homelessness and teenage pregnancy. There are few jobs and even fewer recreation outlets. Among Los Angeles Unified's 49 high schools, Jefferson had the second highest number of major crimes in its attendance area —94 homicides, more than 2,700 robberies, and about the same number of aggravated assaults from 2002 through mid-2004.”
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| Kicks for a Cause presents a chance for these students to speak out about what they’ve seen during their lives and why it should matter to you. The art of shoe customization allows them to channel their creativity in a way that benefits everyone involved.
Please browse through our gallery of shoes to see the awesome pieces of art these students are creating! |
| ABOUT THE SCHOOLS |
Website
2530 Cincinnati Street
Los Angeles, CA. 90033
Phone (323) 269-3177
Fax (323) 269-3268
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VARIETY BOYS & GIRLS CLUB
The Variety Boys and Girls Club was founded in 1949 and is located on Cincinnati Street in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of East Los Angeles. Its mission statement reads as follows:
"The Variety Boys and Girls Club provides young people positive alternatives that build self-reliant, tolerant citizens who strive to make a difference"
Recently implemented programs include the Torch Club and the Keystone, which focus on leadership development for both middle school and high school students.
The Club is currently planning a complete renovation involving the demolishing of the current building and the construction of a new, larger building on the same plot of land. A $10 million undertaking, Variety is nearly three-quarters of the way toward its fundraising goal.
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Website
1319 E. 41st St.
Los Angeles, CA 90011-3399
Phone (323) 521-1200
Fax (323) 231-4755
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JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL
Jefferson High School, located on East 41st Street in South Los Angeles, has been educating the community since 1916.
Known for its success in the athletic arena, Jefferson has been making strides in the classroom as well. The school has recently installed Small Learning Communities (SLCs) in an effort to help students hone in on a skill or interest they are passionate about.
One of the SLCs, Creative Arts and Expression, is the group working with Kicks for a Cause.
The school's mission is as follows: "Jefferson strives to produce accomplished, skilled, and responsible graduates who will be ready to analyze and solve the problems of this increasingly diverse community in the 21st century."
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| ABOUT THE FOUNDERS |
(From L-R): Ginny, Amy, Peter, Chris, Nicole, Mike and Koran
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GINNY
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Cause(s) most passionate about: I am very passionate about promoting tolerance and cultural acceptance, especially pertaining to the Middle Eastern practices . I am also an avid supporter of getting out awareness of mental health and bringing more cohesive and supportive counseling centers to universities.
What I would design on my shoe: I would probably exercise my very limited Arabic and images of Middle Eastern cities to support my interest in cultural tolerance.
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AMY
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Cause(s) most passionate about: I am very passionate about bringing awareness to the issue of diversity. Having grown up as an Asian-American in an all nearly white community and as one of the few women in my university classes, I have been exposed to the negative effects of being different. I am very interested in creating support networks and programs for diverse populations as well as educating the public on diverse social causes. Kicks for a Cause is a great example of educating the public of diverse issues that inner city students face every day.
What I would design on my shoe: In relations to my interest in diversity, I would customize my shoes to be very colorful and eclectic.
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PETER
Hometown: Burnsville, Minnesota (20 min. south of Minneapolis)
Cause(s) most passionate about: Education and the lack of support for public inner-city schools.
What I would design on my shoe: I can’t give too much away because you just might see my kicks on the site in the near future, but I’ll definitely design them to reflect the plight of America’s declining public school system. Restrictive and outdated mandates, underpaid teachers, inadequate buildings and fruitless testing standards have eaten away at what used to be the core of American values and comparative advantage.
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CHRIS
Hometown: Thousand Oaks,CA
Cause(s) most passionate about: Education, environmental preservation, animal rescuing
What I would design on my shoe: Something bright and colorful
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NICOLE
Hometown: Newton, MA
Cause(s) most passionate about: Nutrition, womens rights
What I would design on my shoe Red Sox! |
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MIKE
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Cause(s) most passionate about: Child soldiers, ethnic conflicts, environmental sustainability
What I would design on my shoe I would love to design a shoe that depicts a struggle between two competing forces being resolved. Much like the yin and yang, I believe that even opposites can come together in harmony. |
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KORAN
Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana
Cause(s) most passionate about: Emancipated youth from the Foster Care System
What I would design on my shoe Good question! |
Photography courtesy of Josh Dunn.
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