Meet Tony Brown | Executive Director of Heart of Los Angeles

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tony Brown and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tony, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I want the world to know that every individual has the potential to do good in this world with their own unique talents. We just need to be given that chance to reach our full potential. And that is what Heart of LA (HOLA) does for the youth in our community.

A key part of our success at HOLA is that we don’t wait. We don’t need to wait for public education to be perfect to start making a difference in the lives of young people. We can change kids’ chances to learn in this city right now–today. We always hear in youth development about giving kids “a chance.” A chance? Just one? No. Let’s give kids everything. Everything they need to achieve success.

At HOLA, we make sure kids have access to everything from academic tutoring and enrichment opportunities, to arts lessons, athletic teams, and resources for their families. We know that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to supporting youth, so we work hard to ensure that we can provide individualized quality service for our students, to give them every chance possible to realize their dreams.

With the recent launch of our brand new Intergenerational Orchestra (IO), we’re also working really hard to bring people of different generations together from across the city to play orchestral music! We’re really excited to have musicians from all over join the HOLA IO and can’t wait for the community to gather at our new Arts and Recreation Center to hear them play.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

If I had to look back on the last thirty years of my professional career, the major theme is my love for human beings. I’ve worked in many fields, from teaching and sports business development to marketing and event coordinating. Each of these roles has allowed me to grow in new ways and to help others discover their potential and how their gifts can be shared with others.

When I worked as an event coordinator, I became most proud of my ability to take something and turn it into a reality. I created my own company offering sports camps for kids – I envisioned the activities they could do, the company culture, and the interactions with counselors and kids. It was here that I partnered up with Mitchel Moore, the founder of Heart of LA way back towards the beginning as he was just starting Heart of LA. Our take was very simple: we needed to create programs and activities for youth to feel engaged, stay engaged and safe, but also continue to pursue their potential.

Now I’ve been at the Heart of LA for so long that I’ve actually had several difficult and unique moments throughout my career in which I’ve been able to see a problem and try to find a solution. After doing some community listening, I envision what a solution could look like. This allows me to better understand the needs of those who would be affected and how to benefit impacted youth.

I overcame a lot of challenges throughout my journey such as finding the right balance of student engagement and extracurricular activities. I’ve been able to grow our organizational operating budget to reach 74% more underserved children with programs that give them opportunities to realize their full potential. I believe that once you begin to evolve, the community and partnerships also evolve with you. The vision becomes more special than what you initially envisioned.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The Ezralow Family Pavillion’s rolling door opens up onto Lafayette Park, where community members will be able to gather to hear our  music students or our newly launched HOLA Intergenerational Orchestra rehearsing. The view is absolutely breathtaking, and just one of many incredible aspects of our new center.

HOLA’s Arts and Recreation Center is an award-winning innovative facility constructed from recycled shipping containers. In addition to housing our music programs, it’s also home to HOLA’s elementary and college success programs, and features multiple community spaces that we’re excited to open up to local partner organizations and members of our neighborhood.

While on the HOLA campus, our sports leagues in soccer and basketball practice right over at Lafayette Park’s Recreation Center. Just down the street from our Arts and Recreation Center, HOLA’s Visual Arts Studio showcases incredible artwork from local youth in our programs, all led by expert teaching artists. It’s an amazing experience to witness the incredible activities and robust set of programming happening across various buildings on our campus! HOLA is truly one of my favorite places in the city, and such a special part of Los Angeles. I encourage all of our city to visit our center for public events and gatherings in the near future, when it is safe to do so!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to thank the founder of Heart of Los Angeles, Mitchel Moore, who had the courage and the vision to create a safe place for youth to go in such turbulent times on the streets of Los Angeles in the late 80s. He established such an amazing foundation for the organizational success that we’ve been able to continue to provide. I have merely taken these strong roots and helped its branches to grow.

Throughout these years, I’m so grateful for the many unbelievable board members who have all helped Heart of LA to adapt and grow to what it is today. Through our foundation supporters, staff, volunteers, youth and families, we have been able to respond rapidly to crises and also work together to listen to one another and fill the gaps that have existed over the years.

I’d also like to thank my wife and family who allow me the opportunity to go from being a father at home to a public servant for many. In the Heart of Los Angeles, for all these years, they have stood by me at the toughest moments and in modes of joy.

Website: www.heartofla.org

Instagram: @heartoflosangeles

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/tony-brown-7b6b804/

Twitter: @heartofla and @TonyBrownLA

Facebook: www.facebook.com/heartoflosangeles

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/heartoflosangeles

Image Credits
Aaron Rapoport, Berliner Architects, HOLA Staff