City Heights reflects a diverse community of first and second generation immigrants and refugees that have incredible stories to tell, but our stories are being forgotten and ignored. The Back Alley Poetry Club invites young adults of City Heights to respond to the last 20 years of history in this city. Through a series of writing workshops and public performances, fellows tell the stories of their communities as well as explore their own personal journeys.

This summer, fellows will also co-produce a final art installation, a semi-permanent weaving of poetry, image, and voice on a back-alley in the heart of City Heights. This will serve as a reminder of the narratives that are historically pushed off the “main” street, to refuse the erasure of those who have shaped it— despite the ongoing process of gentrification.

ACTION! is a youth-centered + youth-taught media program that challenges leaders living in the San Diego region to draw from local experiences and move towards action through the power of documentation.

The Civil Liberties Project is a competitive fellowship operating as both a dialogue and production space that explores the socio-political context through which we defend and celebrate our civil liberties.

The Compass program serves as a hub for community wellness resources that hopes to foster a space for interdependent and self-sufficient discovery. At The AjA Project we understand there is a responsibility that comes with the process of healing, this is why we lean on artists and health professionals in our community, to work collaboratively with our staff to build health resources that meet our communities needs. Compass is our first virtual, asynchronous program, which expanded our reach to youth during the global pandemic.

The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) and The AjA Project collaborated in launching the final phase of the 3-year Counter Surveillance program. This youth fellowship is a rapid-response art production program to create a campaign against San Diego Police Department’s proposed “Smart Street Lights Ordinance”.

In the summer, 12 youth fellows worked with established artists Daniel Ruanova and Mely Barragan to create textile-based visual aids and props that were taken to City Hall. At City Hall, fellows presented a powerful testimony of how surveillance has been affecting the primarily refugee and Black community of City Heights.

Continuing from the summer, 4 youth fellows were selected to collaborate in a large-scale exhibition piece with The AjA Project. Fellows spray-painted surveillance terminology onto a 8x10 inflatable camera. Inside, fellows engaged with community members to discuss the harmful consequences of surveillance technology in San Diego.

Journey uses photography to engage students in the newcomers program at Cajon Valley Middle School to reflect on their journeys coming to the United States. These refugee and immigrant students are given the space to talk about identity, culture and the process of adapting to a new environment. Students learned various photographic and creative techniques to represent their family’s legacy and stories.

SSDYM teaches young people to honor their stories and perspectives by learning storytelling practices and techniques.

SSDYM teaches young people to honor their stories and perspectives by learning storytelling practices and techniques.