Multi-Grammy Award Winner James Fauntleroy Joins Workforce Development and Industry Leaders to Launch Content Hub
Creators @ Laboratory Will Provide Registered Apprenticeships and Entrepreneurial Training for Content Production in South Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES, August 27, 2025 – Multi-Grammy Award Winner, South Los Angeles native, and founder of Laboratory James Fauntleroy has partnered with three leading entertainment workforce development organizations — Handy Foundation, BRIC Foundation, and CVL Economics — to launch Creators @ Laboratory, an innovative community-led content production and workforce development center in the Crenshaw District. The collaboration is funded by a California Jobs First Los Angeles Collaborative Catalyst Grant to establish a comprehensive content production studio and registered apprenticeship hub at Laboratory’s 4707 Crenshaw Boulevard space, a new retail, education, and media production business.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, grant partners, and local dignitaries joined Fauntleroy for a ceremonial kickoff celebration marking the beginning of renovations.
Creators @ Laboratory will serve as a community-led, operated, and owned content production and distribution house for short form, unscripted, animated, and other digital media. The initiative addresses the critical need for equitable access to entertainment industry training and job creation in South Los Angeles, where creative professionals outnumber available opportunities by nearly 3 to 2.
“Creators @ Laboratory is about opening doors—literally and creatively,” said Fauntleroy. “We’re building a space where creators and entrepreneurs from our communities can connect to the tools, mentorship, and real-world experience they need to compete and innovate. This is about creating a new blueprint for how the industry and audiences can find and support the next generation of business leaders.”
Adapting to an Evolving Industry
As Hollywood increasingly shifts toward creator-led content, Creators @ Laboratory will provide training and education that allow creatives to adapt and grow their skills toward in-demand industry jobs. In alignment with the Los Angeles County Regional Report, Creators @ Laboratory will build career pathways and enhance the entrepreneurship ecosystem. Participants will be better prepared for the modern entertainment landscape where independent content creators drive innovation and audience engagement. The program’s creative curriculum is complemented by Laboratory’s emphasis on entrepreneurship and career-building, offering participants a foundation in business development, long-term planning, and career readiness training.
“The entertainment landscape is evolving fast — and with that change comes opportunity,” said Ri-Karlo Handy, founder of the Handy Foundation. “Bringing hands-on access to music, animation, film, television, and emerging technology into the heart of the Crenshaw District has the potential to be truly transformational. Working with experienced professionals to gain the skills and confidence needed to thrive across every area of the industry, the creators coming through this lab won’t just be ready for the future—they’ll be shaping it.”
The facility will feature a state-of-the-art beauty supply and convenience store, classrooms, and a fully equipped soundstage to support training in production, podcasts, unscripted shows, animated content, and Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) channel content creation – all formats essential to today’s creator economy.
“The launch of this new workforce development center and content production hub strengthens our workforce, creates new opportunities and contributes to LA’s status as the creative capital of the world,” stated Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “Thank you to all the partners who came together to launch this innovative hub, including James Fauntleroy, Multi-Grammy Award Winner, LA Native and Laboratory Founder, and Ri-Karlo Handy of the Handy Foundation, who serves on my Entertainment Industry Council and is furthering workforce development initiatives like this. The Crenshaw District has always been a thriving cultural community, and I am looking forward to seeing the content production that comes out of Creators @ Laboratory.”
Community-Centered Partnership
BRIC Foundation was awarded a Catalyst Grant from the California Jobs First Los Angeles Collaborative’s $9 million seed funding pool to fund this collaborative project. California Jobs First, a regional investment initiative from the California Community Foundation, aims to lay the groundwork for bold, community-led solutions that advance equity, create high-quality jobs, and drive regional resilience.
The collaboration brings together complementary industry experience, workforce development expertise, and resources. Laboratory, founded by Fauntleroy, provides the physical space and creative vision. Fauntleroy, a native of Inglewood and co-founder of 1500 Sound Academy, has dedicated much of his career to creating educational and career pathway opportunities for young people across Los Angeles.
The Handy Foundation — helmed by entertainment executive Ri-Karlo Handy — brings proven workforce development experience having successfully trained and placed over 250 underrepresented individuals in the entertainment industry since 2020, with established partnerships with major studios including AMC, Netflix, Roku, Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate, STARZ, ITV, MRC, and more.
The BRIC Foundation – led by Nicole Hendrix, Emmy Award-winning producer in TV, Games, and Film, and Alison Mann, longtime Talent Manager in Animation – contributes its leadership in workforce development, operating the state’s first Arts, Media, and Entertainment High Road Training Partnership and supporting a network of registered apprenticeship and training programs with over 300 participants.
CVL Economics provides strategic economic development and entertainment research expertise to ensure the project’s long-term sustainability and community impact.
Together, Creators @ Laboratory will employ registered apprentices in entertainment occupations, including Animation, Audio/Sound, Digital Imaging, Editing, Game Design, Production Management, and Visual Effects, while also serving as an economic anchor to activate essential retail spaces for the local community.
The project’s Predevelopment Phase will run through July 2026, focusing on infrastructure development, partnership building, research, and curriculum creation. For more information about Creators @ Laboratory and how to get involved, visit https://creatorsatwork.co. Follow @creatorsat.work and @laboratory.io on Instagram and track the project’s progress using the hashtag #creatorsatlab.
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About the BRIC Foundation
BRIC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit company dedicated to increasing representation in Entertainment, Gaming, Media and Tech. Founded in 2018 and led by Nicole Hendrix and Alison Mann, BRIC Foundation was created to change how entertainment companies approach and discuss hiring around diversity. By teaming up with Education, Government, Non-Profit, and Industry partners, BRIC is proud to be creating equitable pathways for future generations of diverse creators to tell their stories and make an impact on the world. To learn more about BRIC, visit https://bricfoundation.org or follow @bricfound on social media.
About CVL Economics
CVL Economics is an economic consulting firm that takes a data-driven approach to equitable development and sustainable growth, with a focus on the creative economy. Founded in 2021, CVL partners with communities, municipalities, organizations, and institutions to address complex challenges and foster bold action.https://www.cvleconomics.com/
About the Handy Foundation
Founded by veteran production executive Ri-Karlo Handy, the Handy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on workforce development in the television, film, and media sectors. By implementing high-quality training programs and forming strategic partnerships, the foundation empowers underrepresented individuals and promotes inclusion in production roles. For more information about the Handy Foundation and its initiatives, please visit handyfoundation.com.
About Laboratory
Laboratory is an emerging business located in Los Angeles’ Crenshaw District that offers physical classrooms, retail store fronts, and content production studios designed to connect the community with the essential resources, education and physical locations necessary for entrepreneurial start-ups and content creators. Laboratory will host classes, showcase local business and nonprofits, and serve as a professional grade film studio to produce educational and social impact content as well as content for brand partnerships. http://laboratory.mx
Media Contacts:
Tosha Whitten
tosha@frontpagefirm.com
202.246.7875
Sarah Park
pr@bricfoundation.org
732-939-1165