Awards & Recognition
2008 Human
Relations Award Honoree
The City of Los Angeles Human Relations
Commission is honoring The Unusual Suspects for its
contributions to the San Fernando Valley Juvenile Justice Task
Force (JJTF) at this year's John Anson Ford Human Relations
Award Luncheon! As a member of JJTF, The Unusual Suspects has
played a role in strengthening communications and relations
within diverse communities and families of incarcerated youth.
The ceremony includes a lunch and guest speakers to celebrate
this year's theme: "Building Partnerships for Solutions." The
event will be held on Thursday, October 23, 2008 from 12:00 to
2:00pm at Luminarias in Monterey Park, CA.
Nationally Recognized as Coming Up Taller Award Recipient
The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company (US) was nationally
recognized as one of 18 youth arts and humanities programs to
receive the prestigious 2007 Coming Up Taller Award, the
nation’s highest honor for after-school arts programming.
Laura Leigh Hughes and student representative, Jose Ramirez,
accepted the award from the First Lady at The White House on
January 28, 2008.
Program Approved by the County
Zoot Velasco & Sally Fairman have completed training and are
certified with a Professional Designation in Arts Education from
Los Angeles County Arts Commission. Our Program has been
approved by them as covering the California Standards for Visual
& Performing Arts and has been included in the LA County Arts
Commission's Resource Directory.
National Juvenile Justice Award 2000
The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company has been nationally
recognized by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention for "displaying exemplary models, innovative
approaches and new and enhanced community collaborations serving
children and youth."
Laura Leigh Hughes accepted the National Juvenile Justice Award
2000 on Capitol Hill June 6 in an awards ceremony held during
the National Juvenile Justice Summit in Washington D.C. "How
Shall We Respond to the Dreams of Youth?" was the theme of this
year's summit. The Unusual Suspects was one of two arts programs
recognized, among the overall six recipients of the award.
Golden Mike Award
The Golden Mike Award, the broadcasting award for television
journalism has been awarded to KMEX/Univision, the #1 Spanish
television channel, for their story on our program. Norma Roque
and Art Quezada from KMEX interviewed young men, their mothers
and volunteers at the Central Juvenile Hall during rehearsals of
the Unusual Suspect production Far Away From Home. The Golden
Mike, the most prestigious award for television journalism, was
presented to KMEX at an awards ceremony on January 20th. Laura
Leigh Hughes attended the ceremony with Volunteer Gisele
Sanchez-Rochet and Unusual Suspect Rey, recently released from
Central Juvenile Hall. Congratulations KMEX!
Agape Season of Non-Violence Hero of the Week Award
The Agape Season of Non-Violence Hero of the Week Award was
awarded to Laura Leigh Hughes for "being a place of peace and
standing for the principal of non-violence in our community" on
February 13, 2000.
