Nearly a quarter of Oakland's teenagers drop out of high school.  

(CA Dept of Education, 2016)

99% of the Destiny Arts Youth Performance Company over the past 25 years have graduated from high school. More than 90% go on to college.

(Destiny Arts Center)

Art can help encourage positive emotions and strength, allowing youths to view themselves as survivors and not as victims.

(van Westrhenen and Fritz 2014)

Oakland has the highest per-capita violent crime rate in California.

(FBI Uniform Crime Report, 2015)

Students with access to the arts in high school were three times more likely than students who lacked those experiences to earn a bachelor's degree.

(NEA, 2012)

Homicide is the leading cause of death for youth 15-24 in Alameda County.

(Alameda County, 2012)