LA Mayor Karen Bass and Council President Paul Krekorian Break Ground on First TUMO Center in the United States

Today, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Council President Paul Krekorian, alongside TUMO Founder, broke ground on the first TUMO Technology Learning Center in the United States.

Originally founded in Armenia, TUMO is a free-of-charge educational program that puts teenagers in charge of their own learning. Founded by engineer and entrepreneur Sam Simonian, TUMO’s mission is to allow teens to maximize their potential by discovering their passions and building the skills and self-confidence required to shape their future.

The program offers free education and training to teens in 14 different subjects, from music, filmmaking and animation to programming, robotics and 3D modeling.

“The creation of TUMO in the East San Fernando Valley will bring much needed creative and educational resources to low income youth and teenagers that would otherwise not be exposed to the fantastic learning opportunities that TUMO creates'' said Los Angeles City Council President Paul Krekorian. “This center will shape the next generation of creative leaders that will keep our entertainment industry strong and thriving."

This very first TUMO center in the United States was made possible through a $23.25 million dollar grant from the State of California, secured by former Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian, as well as an additional $3 million dollars in CDBG funds from the City of Los Angeles, secured by Los Angeles City Council President Paul Krekorian. Just last week, the City Council approved a motion to allocate an additional $2.5 million dollars to create an outdoor performance arts event center.

“As a former State Assemblymember of the East San Fernando Valley, I am proud to announce the establishment of a TUMO Technology Learning Center in North Hollywood. The TUMO Technology Learning Center focuses on placing teenagers, aged 12 to 18 years, in control of their learning experiences and enabling them to unlock their full potential by identifying their passions and equipping them with the skills necessary to shape their future. This Center will create life-changing experiences for our children and build the next generation of leaders for our communities” said Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian.

Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, said, “We are committed to empowering Los Angeles’ next generation of youth to gain skills that will prepare them for jobs in the technology industry,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “TUMO LA will provide much needed design and technology education to local youth through after school and weekend programs completely free of charge. This Center will allow Los Angeles youth to maximize their potential by discovering their passions for creative technologies and building the cutting-edge skills essential for navigating the ever-evolving digital world.”

TUMO Center Los Angeles is slated to launch in winter of 2024.