By Melina Costello

Aalia Lanius sits down with Jill Gurr in Episode 36 of Unsugarcoated with Aalia. Together they discuss Create Now, the non-profit organization Gurr founded in 1996 to empower underserved communities through arts education and mentoring. Create Now specifically aims to help people who have experienced homelessness, abuse, neglect, incarceration, and similar challenges through arts programs in music, fashion, writing, performance, visual arts, digital media and culinary arts. 

Gurr transitioned from an impressive career in script supervising to working on the frontlines with forgotten youth after an encounter she had while shooting the movie Mi Familia in East LA.

“It was about two in the morning on a Thursday night, and there was an eight year old boy and his eleven year old brother hanging out with the crew. I said, ‘Where are your parents?’ and the eight year old said, ‘I don’t know where my mother is. My father don’t give a *bleep*,’ Gurr recalls. “That really shook me.”

The divide between the world she was familiar with and the one these two boys lived in was a reality she could not ignore. 

“I did research and I discovered that not only is Los Angeles one of the wealthiest, most glamorous cities in the world, but we have one of the highest poverty rates, we have more foster children and homeless children than anywhere in the United States, and we have more incarcerated youth than anywhere in the world,” Gurr states.

After the Los Angeles riots in 1992, Gurr had the opportunity to teach two screenwriting workshops to incarcerated youths. As she helped these youths pour their own experiences onto the page, their confidence began soaring through storytelling. 

“By the end of it, when we did the final read through, these young teenage thugs were hiding their tears,” Jill revealed, “and some of them said, ‘I want to go back to school and I want to apply to college.’”

Inspired by these kids’ growth, Gurr continued to lead screenwriting workshops, telling Aalia, “I wanted to make a difference.” Gurr has done just that. After receiving a grant to start her own non-profit organization, she was able to found Create Now, which has reached almost 50,000 of the most vulnerable youth in Southern California. 

While COVID has impeded some of Create Now’s programs, Gurr expresses that their work is more important now than ever. 

“We target the kids who are really in need––the kids that are in the group homes and the shelters who have no family, and that’s what really breaks my heart because all of us are going through the pandemic with COVID…but imagine what these children have to go through with no families.”

Right before COVID hit, Create Now had launched a fashion design program at Maravilla Residential Facility for teenage girls who had experienced sexual and domestic abuse. “In just four classes, they had designed phenomenal outfits!” Gurr exclaimed. Although this program has been put on hold, Gurr is eager to plan a fashion show next year as soon as it’s safe.

Aalia and Gurr recently collaborated to continue supporting these vulnerable youth during the pandemic. Through Create Now, Aalia hosted a creative writing workshop, Creative Writing Heals Moms, for transitional-aged women and their children who are experiencing homelessness. Some of the specific skills Aalia focused on were how to identify your emotions through journaling, how to build a resume, and how to advocate for yourself.

Aalia elaborates on the importance of creativity, sharing, “It celebrates the ability to create connection, education, and healing through storytelling.”

Tasha Caulfield is one of Create Now’s biggest success stories. She grew up in a very poor part of Los Angeles, was raised in an abusive household, and was in nine detention facilities between the ages of 12 and 14. However, through Create Now’s mentorship and creative resources, Tasha was able to build connections, pursue higher education, and find a path of healing. 

Gurr shares Tasha’s inspiring achievements, proudly stating, “She was able to graduate from USC Film School with a scholarship from Warner Brothers. She attended law school for a year in Chicago, travelled all around the world, produced and directed a documentary about how to break into stand-up comedy, and is a stand-up comedian who has performed all across the country. She’s published books and written scripts and has a real estate license. And she’s only 35!”

“If it wasn’t for Create Now, I would still be in jail somewhere,” Gurr recalls Tasha saying.

The impact of art transcends past the commonly acknowledged affects. “If you teach a child how to keep a steady beat at a young age, that does something to their brain neurons and accelerates their reading and language fluency,” Gurr declares, in reference to her early education program for Pre-K children called Ready to Learn.

Additionally, art has the power to unite communities. When Gurr first started Create Now, she brought two juvenile detention facilities in Malibu together for a competition in music, dance, and poetry. 

“Normally, in these camps, in a big bunk house with all these kids, they’re all fighting with each other, but they were all suddenly cheering for their camp members and bonding is going on,” Gurr exclaims. 

Some of the kids that Gurr mentored even went on to create their own non-profits. One young man who had been incarcerated was so inspired by the guidance he was given when he needed it that he decided to give back by helping ex-cons become truck drivers. 

Although, at times, Gurr put herself in a potentially dangerous situation, she never feared for her safety because she knew these incarcerated youth appreciated having someone care about them.

Aalia, who also experienced a troubling childhood, passionately states, “A person just wants to be seen.” She later continues, “[These forgotten youth] matter. They deserve mentorship. Every mentorship matters.”

For those who are interested in mentoring, Gurr recommends checking out the website mentoring.org, which provides a list of all the mentoring organizations in one’s community. She also details how to start one’s own non-profit in her book, Mentor Youth Now, in which she advises people to be creative and follow their passion. 

Create Now is always looking for volunteers, but Gurr emphasizes that donations would be especially appreciated right now. “Most people think we’re this huge non-profit with a dozen people. There’s only three of us,” Gurr says, “so it’s very hard to pay for art supplies.” On top of that, most of their funding comes from school based programs, which are currently shut down. 

You can help Create Now purchase supplies for their upcoming project by clicking on the donate button on their website, createnow.org. 

Gurr excitedly announces, “On December 5th, we’re hosting a virtual fundraising benefit called Sip and Paint.” Those who participate in Sip and Paint will receive a kit of family arts and craft supplies. Debra Wilson from Mad TV will be hosting and Tasha Caulfield will also be making an appearance. Adults will partake in their own painting class, followed by an auction and a virtual party to get to know each other. 

You can find specific details about Sip and Paint and additional information about Create Now on their website or on any of their social media pages.

Website: https://www.createnow.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CreateNow

Instagram: @createnowarts

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