Finding a Place to Belong at Kid City Hope Place

‍ ‍ Along Hope Street is a narrow courtyard behind a green fence, tucked in next to the California Children's Academy day care. With its colorful mural, landscaping, and outdoor seating, it looks a little like a pocket park. It wasn’t designed by a landscape architect. It was designed by teenagers. It's called the Breezeway, and it belongs to Kid City Hope Place.

Students sign in at Kid City, where every afternoon begins with a warm welcome.

Just a few steps away, Kid City is where dozens of young people are preparing for college, learning instruments, meeting with mentors, and finding a place where they know they'll be welcomed after school.

Students gather after school to work together, grab a snack, and spend time in Kid City’s welcoming “third space”.

Step inside on a weekday afternoon, and you'll find students scattered throughout the rooms. Some are working on homework around a table. Others are practicing music downstairs. Someone might be meeting with a mentor or getting advice on a college application, while another student grabs a snack before settling in for the afternoon.

Executive Director Dr. Ghecemy Lopez leads Kid City Hope Place, where she and her team help first-generation students prepare for college and beyond.

It's easy to think of Kid City as an after-school program. But after spending time with Executive Director Dr. Ghecemy Lopez and Development Manager Leidy Vasquez, it became clear that they've created something much bigger.

Dr. Lopez describes Kid City as a "third space," somewhere beyond home and school where young people know they belong.

"Our main mission is to empower the youth to be the best version of themselves," she said. "Whatever they don't find at school or home, they can find it here."

Whether it’s homework, college applications, or career planning, students have a place to learn alongside mentors and peers at Kid City.

Kid City serves young people ages 14 to 26, helping students prepare for college, succeed once they get there, explore career paths, and discover interests through programs like music education. Many are the first in their families to pursue higher education, and many come from immigrant, mixed-status, or multigenerational households where the road to college isn't always straightforward. 

That mission is deeply personal for the people leading it. Nearly every member of the Kid City staff was also the first in their family to attend college, and several first came to Kid City as students before returning to mentor the next generation. They understand firsthand the challenges their students are navigating because they’ve lived them too. 

More than a courtyard, the Breezeway is a student-designed space where young people can study, relax, and spend time with friends after school.

As we walked through the building, Dr. Lopez and Leidy pointed back to the Breezeway. The space was designed by students who created everything from the layout to the mural and plant selections after taking a landscape design course at LA Trade-Tech. Today it's a place to study, hang out with friends, or simply take a break from the pace of the city. 

Indoors is a shelf stocked with canned food and other pantry staples that students and their families are welcome to take home. Nearby are snacks for students who arrive after school without having had a chance to eat yet. It's another example of Kid City’s philosophy: listen to students, understand what they need, and help meet those needs. As Leidy put it, “They’re the experts in their own lives.”  

Kid City has been in South Park since 2008, and as a small nonprofit, it depends on community support. There are plenty of ways to get involved. Neighbors can volunteer to review college application essays during the annual “Blitz Week” (the week right before Thanksgiving), speak with students during Career Day, or help at other events throughout the year. Financial contributions help sustain Kid City’s programs year-round, and donations of canned goods, pantry staples, snacks, or even a tray of food from home or a local restaurant can make a student’s afternoon a little easier. Local businesses can also partner with Kid City by hosting field trips or other experiences for students. 

Volunteer musicians from the community teach lessons on instruments ranging from piano and guitar to drums and more.

Kid City has been changing lives in South Park for nearly two decades, yet many of us have probably walked past its doors without realizing what's happening inside. The next time you pass by Hope Street, you'll know that students are inside studying, practicing music, planning for college, and building the future they hope to create.

To learn more about Kid City, volunteer, or support its work with a donation, visit KidCityHopePlace.org or email info@kidcityhopeplace.org.

By Michelle Morehead