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A Day in the Life: Harry Grammer

Stories

November 16, 2018
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Four men of light neutral skin tone on a boat that says waterkeeper

Where Ocean and Community Connect

After a personal encounter with the juvenile justice system, Obama Fellow Harry Grammer found his purpose in life: to help other justice system-involved youth build a brighter future for themselves. He founded  New Earth Opens in a new tab  to mentor and empower at-risk youth to transform their lives through art, poetry, educational, and vocational programs.

Dive into an outing Harry took with his mentees and  LA Waterkeeper Opens in a new tab , a marine protection agency, in an effort to expand their horizons.

A collage of a hand holding a baby octopus and two men of light neutral skin tone holding a net/bag
“I was one of these young people. I spent five years on juvenile probation as a young man. I left home at 18-years-old. I was a college drop out. I realized that the best thing I could do is help young people who may have traveled down the same path as I did.”
- Harry Grammer
Three men with light skin tones drives a boat on the sea
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A man with light skin tones takes a picture on the outside of a boat while out at sea
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Four men with different skin tones surrounding each other on a boat
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A man with a medium skin tone is shown outside in front of boats looking forward toward the camera.
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In addition to group activities like these with LA Waterkeeper, New Earth offers counseling, job training, mentoring, and educational programs for young people ages 13-25.

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“We need to listen to our young people and find out what they’re longing for and what they need.”—Harry Grammer

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Harry’s organization, New Earth, has slashed recidivism rates from 69 percent to 5 percent among its full participants.

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"The experiences I had struggling through homelessness and juvenile probation actually gave me the heart to create something like this.” —Harry Grammer on starting New Earth