Urban Alchemy
Urban Alchemy is a social enterprise in San Francisco and Los Angeles that engages with situations where extreme poverty meets homelessness, mental illness and addiction. As well as healing traumatised urban spaces, they also create fair employment opportunities for people who have served life sentences in prison. I collected stories from across the organisation, translating their impact into a raw and sincere narrative that was rolled out across their website and used to communicate Urban Alchemy's value and social impact.
"Working with Seth was an entirely different experience. I was blown away with his approach – he approaches his work like a tortured artist, trying to capture the essence and soul of the organization’s work that he pulls, prods, and shapes until it becomes a unique poetic masterpiece."
– Lena Miller
CEO at Urban Alchemy
CEO at Urban Alchemy
Unlike 99% of the population,
our team can tell the difference
between danger and distress.
our team can tell the difference
between danger and distress.
Unlike 99% of the population,
our team can tell the difference
between danger and distress.
our team can tell the difference
between danger and distress.
We believe that calling the police shouldn’t be the default answer to poverty and desperation. Our society can’t address trauma, addiction and mental illness with the same approach we use to tackle crime.
Police are trained to respond to active threats, not to individuals in the throes of a psychotic break or someone who has been overwhelmed by their emotions and is acting out of desperation.
Our practitioners know how to de-escalate a conflict, how to save someone from an overdose, how to build trust with a person who is afraid or suicidal, and how to teach people to care for their surroundings when sometimes they struggle to even care for themselves.
We are a compassionate and peaceful presence that restore safety and cleanliness in the streets. When an area loses its sense of pride, Urban Alchemy helps communities find it again.
Police are trained to respond to active threats, not to individuals in the throes of a psychotic break or someone who has been overwhelmed by their emotions and is acting out of desperation.
Our practitioners know how to de-escalate a conflict, how to save someone from an overdose, how to build trust with a person who is afraid or suicidal, and how to teach people to care for their surroundings when sometimes they struggle to even care for themselves.
We are a compassionate and peaceful presence that restore safety and cleanliness in the streets. When an area loses its sense of pride, Urban Alchemy helps communities find it again.
The meaning
behind our name.
behind our name.
The meaning
behind our name.
behind our name.
Urban Alchemy describes the process of spiritual and social transformation that our Practitioners engage in, both internally and with members of the public. Alchemy is the mysterious ancient practice of transforming lead into gold.
What we do creates a tangible social value – but is no less miraculous. Instead of lead, we seek to transmute human suffering. Instead of gold, we create peace.
What we do creates a tangible social value – but is no less miraculous. Instead of lead, we seek to transmute human suffering. Instead of gold, we create peace.