When Jim Wainwright, senior clinical director, brought the idea to Pacific Clinics leadership to partner with In Other People’s Shoes (IOPS), no one could predict how deeply the collaboration would resonate with the San Gabriel Valley community. What began as a simple idea of supporting a small, youth-centered theater company evolved into a community project that amplified the voices of young people affected by the 2025 Eaton fires.
The partnership came about from a long-term relationship Jim and his wife have with the IPOS’ cofounder. He knew their mission of elevating children’s voices and hearing those that are often overlooked aligned with our mission. This alignment sparked conversations and tours of potential rehearsal spaces, which eventually evolved into a shared vision: helping young people tell their stories of loss, resilience and recovery.
To ensure the process was safe and supportive, Wainwright, Janine Gordon, program director and Weston Taussig, clinical team supervisor, designed a trauma-informed participant interview questionnaire. Additionally, the team was present during interviews to help participants process and work through any triggers or emotions that arose. Nine youth, ages 8 to 18, volunteered to share their experiences. Their words were later woven into a “sentence collage” script — crafted line by line from their transcripts.
Professional actors brought those voices to life against a striking backdrop of a 15-foot-tall fire map. Each performance ended with a community conversation, often joined by the participants. One moment captured the heart of the project: a grandmother approached an actor and said, “I understand my grandson better now, and I know what I can do.”
“This experience was a reminder of the power of slowing down and truly listening,” said Wainwright. “Children should be seen and heard.”
This project made sure they were.
Interested in attending a performance?
Three more performances are scheduled for May 2 and 3. The tickets are free and open to the public. Click here to register.
