From Ten Kids to Thousands: The Journey of SLAC

Over the last few months, the Second Line Arts Collective team has been in the trenches—working hard to fund each of our core programs, one piece at a time. This work isn’t glamorous. It’s meetings, grant writing, budgeting, and the constant search for alignment between vision and resources. But it’s also deeply rewarding—because every dollar raised translates into opportunities for young people who deserve them.

This year alone, our Sanaa Music Workshop will cost a minimum of $65,000 to operate. That number used to feel impossible. Today, we’re almost fully funded.

Let that sink in.

We’re here because people believe in what we’re building.

Organizations like the Prima Foundation, the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, the Greater Circle Foundation, the Brown Foundation, and several others have stood behind us—not just with funding, but with trust. And our individual donors? Their belief keeps us going. They are our silent heroes—the ones who invest not just in programs, but in people.

I’m floored by the support. Humbled by it.

When Gregory and I started this project, we had one simple goal: help 10 kids a year. That’s it. Ten.

We never imagined we’d grow into an organization with an annual operating budget just shy of a quarter of a million dollars. We never expected to reach thousands of students in classrooms, workshops, and performance spaces across the country. And yet—here we are.

That kind of growth doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of a dedicated team who shows up every day with vision, consistency, and heart. It’s the result of a community—foundations, donors, artists, educators—who rally around the mission.

We’re still growing. Still learning. Still asking ourselves the hard questions.

But what remains constant is this: we believe in the power of music to transform lives. And thanks to your support, we’re watching that belief come to life every day.

Thank you for walking with us. The best is still ahead.

DD