BAM LOS ANGELES

History/Background

Building on decades of experience in intervention and successfully providing protective factors that have enabled thousands of students to change the trajectories of their lives, in 2019, BAM was replicated in Los Angeles, CA.

To improve the academic achievement and personal well-being of their students, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and Los Angeles County partnered with Youth Guidance to launch BAM in 5 LAUSD middle and high schools during the 2020-21 school year. For the 2022-23 school year, BAM will be in 7 LAUSD schools, and 1 school in the Compton USD.

Since its start in LA, BAM has proudly partnered with the Social Justice Learning Institute (SJLI), and the Brotherhood Crusade (BC) – two organizations with a combined total of almost 70 years serving the South Los Angeles community.

Together, these three organizations form the BLOOM Alliance (Building a Lifetime of Options and Opportunities for Men), which was launched by the California Community Foundation (CCF).

BAM LA, as part of the BLOOM Alliance has received generous funding, via CCF, from the Ballmer Group and from Los Angeles County, for our work in LAUSD schools.

BAM PROGRAM IMPACT

Students enrolled in the BAM Program are:

50%
less likely to be
arrested for violent crime
25%
more engaged
in school
19%
more likely to graduate
high school on time
$ 30
in societal gains for
every $1 invested in BAM

LOS ANGELES

When COVID-19 closed schools, BAM LA’s in-person work was interrupted at a critical point. BAM LA’s Youth Specialists were committed and with a newly-developed virtual curriculum, they were able to continue programming and engaging students until schools re-opened.

BAM LA completed its first full in-person school year in May 2022, and during that time, LA Leadership continued to make inroads into the schools. With some assistance from BLOOM Alliance partners, doors were opened for Crenshaw High School, and Washington Prep/BALA High Schools to begin programming in Fall 2022, as well as our first of many schools in the Compton Unified School District.


MEET OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Casswell Goodman

Executive Director | Los Angeles

With more than 20 years of experience in the field of social service and education, Casswell has provided instruction, professional development and program leadership within organizations that have served more than 8,000 community partners throughout the United States. His experience, consultation and collaborations within the field have included services to youth in the care of the state, homeless and formerly incarcerated youth along with students enrolled in middle and high school settings.

Casswell is a dynamic and innovative leader who believes in service and thrives on empowering individuals while helping them find their purpose through education and/or employment based initiatives. With a strong desire to create positive outcomes for young men, Casswell has taken on the role of Executive Director of our BAM® Los Angeles team in order to establish and elevate the visibility of the program and youth voice in the Greater Los Angeles area.