Meet Laura Cuellar-Morrish, Kid City’s new Executive Director!
We’re thrilled to welcome Laura back to Kid City! A longtime leader who helped build our college access program and champion youth leadership and advocacy, Laura returns with a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to young people and families.
Since 2019, Laura has earned a Master’s in Education Policy from Harvard, led youth engagement initiatives with UNICEF and the Houston Mayor’s Office of Education, and continued supporting Kid City as a board member.
Now, she returns to a community she knows and cares deeply about, ready to continue expanding opportunities for youth and their families across South and Central Los Angeles.
“I am back and excited to collaborate with community partners, staff, volunteers, and alumni to continue Kid City's mission of increasing wellness, education, artistic, and career opportunities for youth and young adults.”
Join us in giving Laura a warm welcome back!
College Success
What We Offer
College Access
Workforce Development
Advocacy
Music
Wellness
What makes us different?
No GPA or prerequisite required.
We invite youth and young adults all academic levels & abilities are welcome; however, we intentionally cater towards first-gen, low-income, students of color
Our Music program takes a whole-person, youth led approach.
This approach it allows us to create pathways for academic enrichment and a sense of belonging all while building community.
Kid City is a free and safe “third space”
If you can’t find it at home, and you can’t find it at school. you can find it here.
2024-2025 Impact
132
Students participated in weekly music lessons (both Individual and band lessons).
100%
High School seniors graduated high school!
86
High School seniors received assistance in applying to 500+ colleges and submitting the FAFSA
149
Youth received career training and individualized preparation support.
3000+
community members reached through public programming (including resource fairs & performances)
“Kid City gave me something deeper, a place where I could be real, vulnerable, and be accepted exactly as I am. Here, I found a community that listens, understands, and pushes you to grow not just academically, but as a human being. Something school couldn't show me but Kid City did”
-Vania (Kid City Participant)
Hear first-hand from our very own team and participants how centering community impacts and uplifts youth and young adults!
This video was created as project by High School Coro Fellows Maylie Macias and Ford Hafter in the summer of 2025.
