At Kid City we encourage teens and young adults to find their voice, share their stories, and become self-empowered leaders. Our small staff works with volunteers, mentors and families to provide programs in leadership development, music and arts, college access, and college completion in a welcoming and supportive environment. Most participants at Kid City are first-generation college or college-bound students living in or near downtown Los Angeles. Kid City recognizes the educational inequity and severe economic hardship among the communities we serve and strives to provide ways for students to access opportunities, explore their intellectual curiosity, and discover their ability to advocate for themselves and their communities.
The Urban Foundation, with its partner First United Methodist Church of Los Angeles, launched Kid City in 2008 in response to the needs of local families for an after-school program. Kid City began with a few elementary, middle, and high school students and has grown into a dynamic academic enrichment, college access, and leadership program that serves over 200 young people annually.