Music Changing Lives

10/29/2026

Real leadership means showing up. ❤️

Thank you, Assemblywoman Leticia Castillo for your donation to our Food For The People distribution and for answering our call to support veterans and neighbors in need.

We’ve been using this platform to call on our community and elected officials to turn words into action. We’ve been asking for support for just 50 people to commit $20 a month to help us keep providing food FREE for the people.

It feels good to know those calls haven’t fallen on deaf ears.

Assemblywoman Castillo, american_legion_post79 Eyes Wide Open Church Steven Bielak ✨ ☯️ Viva la revolución 🌎✨ Belle Rivera Marisol Pilotin and everyone who keeps showing up thank you for hearing us, stepping up, and showing up through your generosity.

Now we’re asking YOU ALL reading this.

If you see the work we’re doing and believe in the mission, please join us.

Hit the link button it’s 🆓
Share it’s also 🆓
And if you can click the link in our bio and donate what you can.

Know it helps us to continue serving people who need it most.

Our neighbors deserve more than words. Together, let’s keep showing up. ✊🏾✊✊🏿✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻

S/O to everyone of our community members that showed up with their ballots in hand, headed to the polls after they received their produce, and mad love to The California Endowment for providing the swag!

Poetry by: Poet U.B. 💐

10/27/2026

✊🏽✊✊🏻✊🏼✊🏾✊🏿

10/27/2026

In 2006, I attended Midsummer Night’s Magic with my dear friend Karen. I remember telling her:

“One day, you’re going to interview me, for building a global model that can be replicated city to city, and I’m going to work with Earvin "Magic" Johnson doing great things together.”

I didn’t know how or when it would happen. I just believed enough to speak it out loud.

Then, in 2012, I met Magic again at Regal Cinemas during the premiere of The Announcement, pictured here. I told him I was cooking something up that would become a global movement, now known as Music Changing Lives Est. 1998 and the Changing Lives Association and that one day we would work together.

In 2025, we had the opportunity to paint a mural of Magic at his community center in Los Angeles alongside artist kar_part for the County of Los Angeles 🎨

And now, 20 years after that first conversation with Karen, I’m humbled to share that the Magic Johnson Foundation is sponsoring several of our Heal Dena community members to attend their Holiday Hope and the Magic of Christmas. 🎄✨

To know that families who have endured so much will experience a little extra joy this holiday season means more to me than words can express.

When I look back at that conversation in 2006, meeting Magic again in 2012, and painting that mural in 2025, all I can do is thank God I never gave 🆙

Thank you to the Magic Johnson Foundation team for opening your hearts to our Heal Dena families, to Karpart and the Dir. Norma Edith García-Gonzalez of the County of Los Angeles Parks & Rec. for the opportunity to create something meaningful together, and to everyone who continues to show up for our community. ❤️

It may have taken two decades, but I’m reminded that it’s God’s timing, not ours. Keep believing, keep serving, and keep doing the work. 🙏🏾

10/27/2026

🗳️🥕 FOOD FOR THE PEOPLE. POWER TO THE PEOPLE. 🥕🗳️

This Wednesday, October 28, we’re inviting all Food for the People volunteers and food recipients to bring your mail-in ballot to our food distribution!

Let’s come together to nourish our community and make our voices heard.

If you’re ready to vote, bring your ballot and join us in casting it early.

Every voice matters, and every vote counts! 💚

📅 Wednesday, October 28
📍 During our Food for the People distribution

Bring a friend, bring your ballot, and let’s show up for our community!

Everyone that brings a Valley gets a special treat, while supplies, Last!

10/24/2026

10/24/2026

To the people who keep showing up—thank you. ❤️

Thank you for giving your time, your energy, and your heart to help us make a difference in the lives of the people we serve.

Sometimes people question your intentions when there’s a large paycheck attached to the work. But what do you call it when you keep showing up for the smiles, the gratitude, and the moments that may never get recognized? When your picture might be taken and your name never mentioned, but you still come back and give more?

We don’t know what to call that.

Maybe it’s love.

Maybe it’s purpose.

Maybe it’s what community looks like when we truly care for one another.

Whatever it is, we see you. We appreciate you. And we’re grateful for every person who continues to show up and help us make a difference. Our work would not be possible without you. ❤️

10/21/2026

💚❤️‍🔥 HEAL DENA CONTINUES — BECAUSE RECOVERY DOESN’T END WHEN THE HEADLINES DO!

Since January 2025, Music Changing Lives Est. 1998 and our incredible partners have stood alongside families impacted by the Eaton Fire. The road to recovery is far from over, and neither is our commitment! 💚

📅 OCTOBER RELIEF DISTRIBUTION

📦 Friday, October 23 | Distribution Setup

🕘 9 AM – 12 PM

🥬 Saturday, October 24 | Family Distribution

🕣 8:30 AM volunteers arrive
10 AM distribution starts

📍2283 N. Fair Oaks Ave. Altadena CA 91001

Fresh produce, food, essential items while supplies last. First come, first served!

🎁 SPECIAL HOLIDAY OPPORTUNITY — NOVEMBER 14!

We’re excited to help connect Heal Dena families with Magic Johnson’s Holiday Hope event in Inglewood!

Families interested in attending must register for consideration. Space is limited, selection is not guaranteed, and confirmed families will receive event details.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Join us October 23–24 & November 14 to help bring relief, dignity, and hope to families who need it most. click the links in our bio to get involved!

🚨 EATON FIRE SURVIVORS: Southern California Edison Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program has a November 30, 2026 deadline.

Call 888-912-8528 to learn more about eligibility and claims.

❤️ Recovery isn’t a one-day event. It’s a community commitment.

Thank you to every donor, volunteer, and partner who continues showing up for Dena. Together, we’re not just rebuilding communities, we’re changing lives!

PLEASE SHARE & HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!

10/19/2026

Big news for Chino! 🎉

Music Changing Lives has been awarded a $20,000 AT&T Connected Learning grant to build our Digital Creative Workforce Lab in Chino.

This investment will help create a space where people can build digital skills, explore creative career pathways, and turn their ideas into opportunity.

Thank you, AT&T, for believing in our young people and investing in what’s possible when community vision gets the support it needs. We’re excited for what we’ll build together!

10/18/2026

art by Queen Loany

🍽️ 🪄✨

10/17/2026

We’re not philanthropist. We’re what philanthropy is.

For more than two decades, we’ve used music, art, food, and community to help people see what’s possible when we come together.

In 2008 we built the first community center studio in a once chained up building that was up for sale, that’s given a safe space for creativity and innovation to thrive to this date.

Since 2020, our Food for the People model has distributed about 12,000 pounds of food every two weeks in the Inland Empire. That’s an estimated 1.87 million pounds over six years, about $3.56 million in food value, using a national food-bank benchmark.

We turned 43,000 square feet of weeds into the Uptown San Bernardino Urban Garden and a food forest ran by community.

Through Heal Dena, we’ve stood with families since January 7, 2025, distributing more than $2.1 million in resources through Global Empowerment Mission alone. And over the past 10 to 12 months, our food distributions have moved an estimated 264,000 to 312,000 pounds of fresh organic produce. Thanks to the initial contribution of Ben Crump

We’ve taught young people they have a voice through Empowerment To Policy

We’ve brought neighbors together through music and art through our knowjusticeknowpeacemuraltour revitalizing multiple communities and teaching elected officials how to unify their constituents. With little to no credit given. While watching drug addicts, and those that promote violence awarded at the highest levels.

The Changing Lives Association has shown that communities can build, heal, and lead, even when the resources aren’t there.

Sadly even after securing national grants to beautify our communities We’ve been gaslit, systematically oppressed and manipulated by people who we trusted.

But We don’t want revenge. We want peace. We want true, transparent partners who will help us keep feeding people and providing free music and art programs.

This is a humanity thing. A conscience thing. A morality thing.

What do you stand for?

Which stand will you take?

Will you contribute and unite with us?

If so DM us…