Laughter For A Change – “It’s about kinship, it has to be.” (2 VIDEOS)
In October I attended the Durfee Foundation’s “We Heart LA” event and had the pleasure of hearing this fantastic keynote speech by Father Greg Boyle of Homeboy Industries (press play above). Father Greg, who has worked on gang rehabilitation for 25 years in some of LA’s toughest neighborhoods, weaves powerful anecdotes of loss and hope to remind those of us in the non-profit sector why we do the work we do: “it’s about kinship, it has to be.”
(BTW, he also has incredibly funny stories about Diane Keaton and Laura Bush. And you have to love a Jesuit Priest who curses mildly from time to time)
This idea of kinship resonates loudly and clearly with the work that we do at Laughter For A Change, because at our very core, we use improv to build stronger connections between individuals and communities. I am moved time and time again, when I witness in our programs how shared laughter has a profound ability to bring people together. When we play, we laugh, and magically strangers become friends and friends become brothers and sisters. The walls we erect around ourselves come crumbling down. Corny I know, but I’ve seen so many times with my own eyes the transformative power of a laugh and I’m happy to report, it’s a beautiful thing.
Below is a short clip of our Middle School Improv Jam at the Koreatown Youth and Community Center. Look at the smiles, look at how these kids come together to create comedy. The funky handshake at 0:53 says it all. A huge thank you to KYCC staff for including us in their video yearbook.