Programs

To further our mission, we sponsor programs:

Kids With Cameras Seeing the community through the lenses of our youth…
Kids With Cameras began in Spring, 2009 and is held annually. A planning committee meets each Spring to develop an annual theme for the annual summer program, which culminates in a gallery event each Fall. The program is designed to create civic awareness and responsibility among youth aged 10 to 14 years, by encouraging them to explore their community and document their views with photos. The 2012 theme “People and Places” started June 20, 2012, at the Santa Monica Fire Department Training Facility. The program is made possible by local non-profit organizations, businesses, and individuals as well as by local adult photographers who mentor the youth. More…

Mark J. Benjamin Community Impact Awards Program Ordinary people doing extraordinary things…
The Mark J. Benjamin Community Impact Awards is a program that honors everyday people who make a difference—individuals whose actions have helped to promote understanding among diverse people and whose contributions have promoted a respectful and socially just community. Nomination applications are submitted online. A celebratory luncheon is planned for April, 2014. More…

Community Dialogues and Table Talk Bringing a variety of voices to the table…
Each year, the HRC hosts a number of dialogues or town halls, providing an opportunity for individuals to come together and discuss issues relevant to the larger community such as youth violence, homelessness, racism, and what it means to be a “just society.” The HRC has partnered with the City of Santa Monica to host a youth dialogue at the Unity Festival held annually at Virginia Avenue Park. In partnership with the MLK Westside Coalition, the HRC coordinated ‘Table Talk’ at the MLK Interfaith Prayer Breakfast. The HRC facilitated two all-day “Dialogues on Race” for another partner, the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District, during the 2011-2012 academic year at Santa Monica High School. The HRC facilitated two all-day “Dialogues on Race” for another partner, the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District, during the 2011-2012 academic year at Santa Monica High School. More…

Creative Works Program: An Intergenerational Project Engaging students on what shapes our lives in important ways…
Creative Works Program: An Intergeneration Project is an annual educational program for students at Olympic High School that pairs students with senior citizens, sharing life stories and events in the creation of artistic and literary expressions of their time together. More…