Drumroll please…Awesome LA has decided to award our 2nd grant to Jail Guitar Doors! Jail Guitar Doors USA is a non-profit that believes in providing new solutions for prisoner rehabilitation. They provide musical instruments, public concerts, and outreach programs to inspire hope and creativity in prisoners who have taken an oath of non-violence. In just 18 months, they have delivered over 30 guitars and various amps into 6 different prisons in California, Texas and New York state!

Here’s how it all began (according to the Jail Guitar Doors website):

In 1978, The Clash released the song, “Jail Guitar Doors.” The song tells the story of the imprisonment of their fellow musician Wayne Kramer. In 2007, to honor the life of Clash founder, Joe Strummer, Billy Bragg launches an initiative in England to provide musical equipment used to rehabilitate inmates serving time in Her Majesty’s Prisons in the United Kingdom. His initiative is named for that very same song, “Jail Guitar Doors.” In 2009, Wayne Kramer partners with Billy Bragg to found Jail Guitar Doors USA. Together, their combined effort continues the mission for prisoners in America. The circle is unbroken.

This Awesome grant will go towards their next visit to the Lancaster Prison, the largest maximum security prison in LA County that has no funding for the arts.

Come join us at our next Awesome LA party where we will be honoring Jail Guitar Doors (details coming soon) as our new Awesome Fellow! Once again, thanks to all the other applicants, and please keep them coming. We love all ideas…so long as they are AWESOME. Apply here.