Since its inception, V.I.P. has served over 500 girls, and our ensembles have to date devised and performed 48 original theatre pieces. Program participants are neighborhood girls and young primarily Black and Latino women from low-income families, who face academic vulnerability due to failing District 9 schools, high local rates of teen pregnancy, HIV and STI transmission, substance abuse, domestic and dating violence, and a lack of opportunity to study the arts. Each ensemble brainstorms themes and topics of interest for the upcoming semester, and themes are selected with an eye toward their relevance to the lives of participating youth and the surrounding community.
