LOS ANGELES — Dozens of young women and gender-expansive youth danced and partied at the LINE LA hotel on Friday night at the “Liberation Fund Prom”.
Unlike the hundreds of high school proms across Los Angeles this season, the young people celebrating at this event had experienced LA County’s youth prison system — and were gathered to make sure that no more girls and gender-expansive youth would ever be incarcerated in that system.
“Girls and gender-expansive youth who come through the justice system often miss out on the key milestones that other teens might take for granted,” said Lisa Small, Senior Director of Youth Justice at Liberty Hill Foundation. “The Liberation Prom offered a chance to dance the night away like any ordinary young person — but these youth are extraordinary, and they’re going to end incarceration in LA County for girls and gender-expansive youth.”
The event featured a prom-themed dance party complete with all the traditional trimmings. The youth leaders got their hair and make-up prepped for their special night in a “glam suite” at the hotel, and every guest received a flower corsage. After speeches by supportive funders and politicians, the youth leaders were each honored in a “sash ceremony” to recognize their extraordinary work. Afterwards, attendees danced under tinsel-decorated lights.
“I didn’t get to attend my own prom, so it was emotional for me to get dressed up and shine,” said Ka’lee Matthews, a youth fellow with Young Women’s Freedom Center, who received a sash in the sash ceremony. “The work we’re doing, I’m doing it for my younger sister and for all the girls who are still in the system.”
In addition to providing girls and gender-expansive youth who have been affected by the justice system with a night of celebration, joy, and advocacy, the event included speakers who addressed the goals of the Liberation Fund grantee partners, a collaborative blueprint that will pave the way for Los Angeles County to become the largest jurisdiction in the nation to end the incarceration of girls and gender expansive youth.
“The proportion of girls and gender-expansive young people in the youth justice system has increased over the last 20 years,” said Los Angeles City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez. “The Liberation Fund is addressing the root causes of incarceration that are unique to this population. They are creating a Care First model that disrupts the school-to-prison pipeline and ends the incarceration of girls and gender-expansive youth in Los Angeles County.”
Organizations that joined the Liberation Fund Prom include Young Women’s Freedom Center, Students Deserve, Beloved Community Housing, and Arts for Healing and Justice Network. Event curator By Way of Us supported the event.
“I founded By Way of Us to uplift those who deserve to be celebrated,” said Sarah Kim, the founder of By Way of Us. “Women working behind the scenes to make things move. Community members coming together with curiosity and genuine joy. Liberation Fund Prom is the first time that we are bringing our robust By Way of Us community together to amplify a story as powerful and deserving as the inaugural group of ten non profits supported by the Liberation Fund. With Prom, we aim to educate our larger community on approachable ways to support incarcerated young women and gender expansive youth. We’re honored to collaborate with Liberty Hill to further this justice work, together.”
Liberty Hill created the Liberation Fund to ensure that no young woman or young person across the gender spectrum spends time in ineffective and abusive systems when they can be served better in the community. The grant program supports community-based organizations who are experts in youth development, legal advocacy, and organizing to prioritize the unique experiences of girls and GE youth, while simultaneously addressing the systemic failures and practices that harm them.
Many individuals offered their time and services in honor of Liberation Fund Prom. Hosted at The Line LA, the evening included DJ sets from SOSUPERSAM and Kittens, production by Good Union Co, creative by Corrie in Color, boutonnieres by Offerings Co, sash donations by même., photo booth by The Lounge Booth, hair stylist Daisy Ontiveros, and makeup artists: Kendall Bennewitz and Wendy Martinez.
1 Comment
Anyone in the youth justice system are usually kids that break the law. So it sounds like they want to do away with consequences for youth that break the law. I think today’s youth already have problems with obeying rules and by eliminating consequences is just going to create adults that break even bigger ones. Who even comes up with these dumb ideas and who are the idiots who are condoning it?