Los Angeles county offering free songwriters' program for teens

Aspiring young songwriters in LA County have an opportunity to combat hatred and write the “soundtrack” for the next generation with the help of award-winning musicians, through a major youth campaign launching this week by the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations’ zerohour: No Haters Here! youth initiative in partnership with the non-profit organization, Oneness.

Project: One is a county-wide search for musically talented youth, ages 14-18, where participants attend a free songwriters’ workshop and anti-hatred training, giving them the chance to write and perform songs that could lead to a professional recording opportunity and inspire positive change within the community.

Leaders in the music industry, Bobby and IZ Avila aka The Avila Brothers will serve as producer mentors for this important cause. These two young humble and unassuming California natives have contributed music to albums by some of today's hottest artists. Bobby's and IZ's resume reads like a "who's who" in the music industry including Usher, Janet Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Yolanda Adams, Mya, and Toni Braxton among others.

“Too many high school students in L.A. County do not have a safe environment where they can achieve their full learning potential, free of violence, discrimination and prejudice,” says Robin Toma, Executive Director of the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations. “Now more than ever, we need music that champions racial equality, social justice and ending ignorance. The essence of Project: One is encouraging the creation of that powerful new music that opposes hatred by bringing diverse groups of students together.”


The program has three phases.

Phase 1 is designed to aid youth in addressing issues of intolerance with their music through a series of “Music & Dialogue” sessions. Phase 1 artist mentors will be Medusa, 2Mex, Bambu, Quetzal, Cava, and others.

All sessions are FREE!
Times: 10AM – 1PM: Registration 9AM

6 Locations to Choose From:

January 24, 2009
Maxine Waters Employment Preparation Center
10925 South Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90059

January 31
Rhythm Lounge
245 Pine Avenue, 2nd Level, Long Beach, CA 90802

February 7
The Village - Ed Gould Plaza/Renberg Theater/LAGLC
125 N. Mc Cadden Place, Los Angeles, CA 90038

February 14
Autry National Center
4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA, 90027-1462

February 21
CAL Poly Pomona Downtown Center
300 W. Second St., Pomona 91766

February 28
CalArts Community Arts Partnership (CAP)
California Institute of the Arts Bijou Theater
2nd floor 24700 McBean Parkway, Santa Clarita, CA


Phase 2 is the actual Songwriters’ Workshop, where selected students will create songs with award-winning artists and producers to inspire the ideals of understanding, mutual respect and human dignity. Students must attend a Phase 1 Music & Dialogue session in order to be eligible to be selected for the Phase 2 Songwriting Workshop.

Phase 3 is the Project: One Concert, featuring music written and performed by participating youth and special celebrity guest artist performances. A panel of diverse music professionals will consider a variety of factors, including response to the songs posted on youtube.com, and choose 10 of the participating teams and their songs for inclusion on the final Project: One CD.

How to register:
Participants can register on line at zerohour.com or RSVP to projectone09@gmail.com or213.974.7615.

For more information:
Go to the zerohour website at www.zerohour.com
Visit the Project: One MySpace page at www.myspace.com/projectonela
Add zerohour Los Angeles as a friend on Facebook


About zerohour No Haters Here! youth initiative
The LA County Commission on Human Relations’ zerohour program, in collaboration with Oneness, a national non-profit music industry organization focused on eliminating racism and promoting the oneness of humanity, brought Project: One about using the model the original Songwriter’s Summit for Oneness first created six years ago. This year, through the Human Relations Commission’s zerohour training sessions and workshop, the opportunity to work with state-of-the-art recording equipment and mentorship by award winning, hit-making producers and songwriters, participants will have the opportunity to create a message with their music.

The Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations has been in existence for over 60 years working to improve the way different groups of people get along in L.A. County. As one of the oldest and largest human relations agencies of its kind in the United States, the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations serves one of the largest and most diverse populations in the country in addressing the human relations needs through its commitment to fostering harmonious and equitable inter-group relations; empowering communities and institutions; and promoting an informed and inclusive multicultural society. The Commission works to develop programs that proactively address racism, homophobia, religious prejudice, linguistic bias, anti-immigrant sentiment, and other divisive attitudes that can lead to inter-cultural tension, hate crimes and related violence.