The mission of the San Diego Cultural Arts Alliance is to educate, empower and inspire youth through the arts, along with creating a mural program that gives voice to the community and the spirit of its values. Our purpose is to give youth a clear understanding and objective not to vandalize or become a part of the school to prison pipeline; while becoming responsible for the lives they lead and to take the initiative to secure the lives they want to lead. We increase this endeavor by learning and listening to the youth themselves. We want to know what they need, not what we think they need.