Summer Night Lights

The Summer Night Lights program is a public and private partnership undertaken by the City of Los Angeles Mayor's Office of Gang Reduction & Youth Development ("GRYD") and The GRYD Foundation. Summer Night Lights is a key component of the GRYD Comprehensive strategy. Launched in 2008, this program aims to combat gang violence during the summer months, which traditionally comprise the most violent portion of the year. When school is out, cities struggle to keep youth engaged in positive activities, leading to the increased influence of gangs in many neighborhoods. 

Offering Vibrant Community Spaces

Summer Night Lights currently operates at 32 locations across the City of Los Angeles, keeping recreation centers and parks open and adding extended programming between the hours of 7 pm – 11 pm during the summer. A range of entertainment, recreation, education, and artistic activities take place, offering kids a distraction that also helps build social connections, replacing gang participation. Through these activities, participating kids not only become part of a safe and welcoming community, but they also build important social and life skills.