Causes: Arts & Culture, Children & Youth, Education, Educational Services, Visual Arts, Youth Development Programs

Mission: Life Pieces To Masterpieces, Inc. (LPTM) is an arts-based, comprehensive youth-development organization located east of the Anacostia River in Washington, DC. Our mission is to provide opportunities for African American males (ages 3-21) to activate their innate, creative abilities to change life challenges into possibilities.

Programs: The arts/creative expression program is designed specifically to engage apprentices on a weekly basis in our creative process: connecting, creating, contributing and celebrating. The program guides apprentices to channel their life experiences using the creation of acrylic collage paintings, original poetry, prose, oratory, movement/dance, and music. The creations are then shared with a broader audience. This program continues to strengthen as we add new artists who bring their own unique artistic styles to the experience. The academic/education program engages all apprentices in rigorous homework assistance, tutoring, literacy training, math skill development, and computer training on a daily basis. We also offer our apprentices:-education and workforce development training through life pieces art works-leadership development-academic enrichment through extra-curricular activities-exposure to other cultures and a global community-awareness of and exposure to diverse spiritual practices-health education to enhance fitness, health, and wellnesstogether, all of these programs will serve as a foundation for a successful learning experience and transition to productive adulthood for our apprentices. Additionally, lptm has facilitated workshops and trainings with local non-profits, teachers at drew elementary school and the bishop john t. Walker school for boys, the world bank group, homeless children playtime project, dc promise neighborhood initiative and conferences hosted by the coalition of schools educating boys of color (coseboc), the college board, and others. Through our color me community conversations series, our skilled team of trainers builds discussion with dc community members from all backgrounds around the implications of race, gener, cultural background, and other forms of identity in our communities.