With support from the California Arts Council, WE THE PEOPLE-CULTURAL DANCE CENTER will establish The Threshold program. This reentry arts program reunites families and cultivates personal development. Our target demographic includes “returned” women with children to encourage self sufficiency, higher education attainment, technical skill development and cessation of recidivism.
For more than two decades “We The People” Cultural Consortium (WTPCC) formerly known as “We The People” Cultural Dance Center, has provided cultural fine arts education and engagement for more than 100,000 people throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties in the form of classes, workshops, public/private performances, lecture demonstrations and community festivals. The decision to change the organization’s name was led by the intent to leverage community collaborations and expand organizational impact in using the power of artistic expression to also address mental and physical wellbeing. Since the year 2000, WTPCC’s greatest community impact has been through program development and 8-years execution of the Annual Drum, Mask & Dance Festival aimed to increase cultural awareness, appreciation, and respect by highlighting the works of diverse artists and cross-cultural commonalities found in the power of drummed rhythms. WTPCC fiscally sponsored the Let’s Walk IE event that promoted healthy living through dance fitness activities and the power in making healthy choices. Additionally, for 5-years WTPCC supported the Annual Inland Empire’s Ultimate Doundounba Festival which engaged participants in master classes, performance, and competition. This event recognized and celebrated a traditional music and dance practice of Guinea in West Africa called Doudounba which is also known as, “The Strong Man Dance.” In September 2022 WTPCC launched a new program called “The Threshold,” a reentry through art program that targets recently released or previously incarcerated women and/or mothers. It uses the power of the arts to stimulate mindset renewal, promote personal development, enhance parent-child bonding, and reduce recidivism.

