From JDS to Kenya: Diane and Scott’s Trip Recap

Some trips change your plans. The best ones change your perspective. When our founders, Diane and Scott Strand, set out for Kenya, they carried the same belief that built JDS Creative Academy here in Temecula. Every person has a story worth telling, and every person deserves the tools and the stage to tell it.

They came home with full hearts and a reminder we want to share with you: creativity speaks every language.

At JDS, our mission has always been about access. As a nonprofit arts organization and Title 17 job training program, we teach digital media, acting, and video production to students of all abilities, including adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Kenya was a chance to carry that heart for inclusion far beyond Riverside County, to listen, to learn, and to share what works when people are given a real creative pathway.

Along the way, they connected with educators, families, caregivers, and community leaders who are doing powerful work, often with very few resources. They traveled alongside a group of fellow authors and speakers, visiting schools, classrooms, and local youth initiatives. One of the most meaningful connections was with Flossie’s Autism House, a community close to our hearts that we will be spotlighting in its own story next month. Sitting with families who fight every day for their children to be seen and supported felt incredibly familiar. Different continent, same courage.

The work itself was hands-on, just the way we like it. They joined school assemblies filled with hundreds of students, sat in on a computer class, and helped hand out musical instruments and art supplies. Scott even spoke with Kenyan news media about creativity and opportunity. Scott brought his 30+ years as a director and acting coach to every group they met, helping young people find their voice. Diane brought a producer’s eye and a teacher’s patience, showing how a simple story captured on camera can build confidence and open doors.

Some of the most powerful hours were spent out in the community. Diane and Scott walked the neighborhood streets alongside local youth leaders and helped serve meals at a feeding program, where long lines of children waited with their plates, many still in their school uniforms. Every smile in that line reminded us why showing up matters.

The World Health Organization estimates that about 1 in 100 children worldwide is autistic, and in many communities, access to education and job training is still limited. That is why inclusive arts education matters. Creative work builds communication, teamwork, and confidence- the skills employers look for every day. When someone discovers they can write a scene, run a camera, or stand on a stage, they start to see a future they never pictured before.

That is exactly what happens in our Temecula classrooms, and seeing the same spark on the other side of the world was something Diane and Scott will never forget.

A trip like this does not end when the plane lands. Diane and Scott brought home new friendships, fresh ideas for our programs, and a bigger picture of what creative inclusion can look like around the globe. Our students and families will feel that energy in the months ahead.

Want to see more from the trip? Follow our Kenya story series on social media, and if you believe every ability deserves a creative pathway, explore our programs or support our mission at jdsca.org. Because when we lift one story, we lift a whole community. That is what Empowering All Abilities Through the Arts looks like, here at home and around the world.