Our History
It all started in 2009 when special education teacher Bret Lieberman was teaching at Golden Valley High School. A group of Bret's students asked if they could produce a music event for the school to bring neurodiverse students and typical students together for a social event. The innovative thinking of these students gave birth to the Yes I Can (YIC) Unity Through Music & Education Program. The program paired students with a range of disabilities with general education peer mentors. The goal was to build healthy peer relationships and develop social, communication and transitional skills, while fostering an appreciation of music, art and diversity. Since the program's inception, YIC has touched the lives of close to 2,000 students.
Throughout the school year, the YIC program invited professional painters and illustrators to hold socially inclusive art workshops. The artists worked alongside students to mentor them and help them create both individual and collaborative art pieces. The goal was to visually and artistically promote socially conscious messages aligned with the YIC motto of Unity through Music and Education, and to proudly celebrate Autism Acceptance in their school and community, leading up to April, Autism Acceptance Month.
Through these art workshops, YIC students learned transitional and life skills necessary for future success: effective communication, goal setting, self-determination and collaboration. Students developed these skills while working as a team, brainstorming images and themes such as anti-bullying messages, quotes of acceptance, unity, diversity, and autism awareness/acceptance to be displayed for their peers and community.
Students were challenged to work both collaboratively and independently, learning to interact with different personalities and support needs while using their imaginations and creativity. The projects required dedication, clear communication, and teamwork. The workshops served students with and without disabilities, achieving the ultimate goal of teaching success through creative collaboration and independent work.
Over the years, Bret Lieberman identified an absence of local social vocational and employment programs focusing on industry-specific training to help people with disabilities advance into competitive integrated employment. Additionally, he recognized a deficit of programs designed to support students after high school graduation. Several YIC students reported success in taking one or two classes in postsecondary education but expressed difficulty finding and maintaining employment and social connections in school/work environments.
Based on these identified needs, Bret Lieberman joined forces with now Deputy Director Kirsten Fitzpatrick to restructure YIC into a Regional Center-funded nonprofit service provider. They shifted the organization's curriculum to a comprehensive industry-specific career skills training and employment program. This new focus helps individuals with disabilities identify potential career paths, receive supported industry-specific training in fully inclusive educational settings, and access internship and employment opportunities within the entertainment industry. In 2019, YIC reopened with an expanded mission to help individuals with disabilities obtain real-world experience and skills within the entertainment industry through inclusive, community-based educational settings—ultimately aiding them in securing meaningful careers with livable wages while improving their quality of life and independence.
YIC, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Santa Clarita, CA, continues its dedication to providing career skills training and employment services that empower individuals with disabilities to build successful careers in the entertainment industry.
