When Prince Jackson was young, his father, Michael Jackson, gave him valuable advice.
“My dad used to say, ‘I don’t care what you want to be when you grow up, you just have to be the best at it,'” Jackson explained on the KTLA 5 Morning News.
The eldest son of the King of Pop has taken that advice to heart and has used it to launch the Heal Los Angeles Foundation, a play off his father’s former Heal the World Foundation.
Jackson is continuing his father’s philanthropic legacy but focusing on the Greater Los Angeles area.
He and a classmate, John Muto, came up with the concept while they were both students at Loyola Marymount University.
“His goal with that foundation was to end child hunger, child abuse and homelessness on a global scale,” Jackson said. “So we took that model and we wanted to emulate it and inspire kids within our campus to do the right thing to go out and make the world a better place. So that’s why we call it Heal Los Angeles.”
The once student service organization is now an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
“We did pivot our mission statement. Our mission is to provide programming and extracurricular activities for the youth of Los Angeles that encourage them to pursue their dreams while also building fundamental life skills,” he explained.
One of the highlights of the program is its cooking class.
The foundation sends participants a box of groceries, spices, a chef hat and an apron so they can whip up the meal at home while following along online in a virtual class.
“It’s so engaging because you’re not just staring at a screen, you’re actually cooking,” he said about the program.
These kids were learning new skills and eating nutritious meals, but also bonding with their families.
“What happened with this program, and it was such a beautiful externality that we couldn’t have anticipated, is that we had family spending more time together,” he revealed. “So mom and dad were in the kitchen, grandma was helping out family, brother, sister, they were all making this meal together. And at the end of the day, spending time as a family eating that meal.”
The foundation also launched a Career Day initiative, which does what Jackson’s father did for him, exposing them to different career paths.
“If you like art, you don’t necessarily have to be a painter,” he said. “There are so many different things you can do. So the point of this is to expose kids to new career opportunities, and if they’re inspired, they can go up and talk to our professionals and ask questions.”
This year will mark 15 years since the legendary performer’s passing.
However, his legacy as a musical icon is alive and well today with the “MJ The Musical,” the Las Vegas spectacular “Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil” and the upcoming biopic “Michael.”
Jaafar Jackson, Jermaine’s son, will portray his uncle in the biopic. So far, his performance has blown his cousin away, and the production of the film has allowed him to know another side of his father.
“Working on my father’s biopic, you meet so many people who knew him at a time when I wasn’t even born yet. And you get to learn about this man that I grew up with that I love. But I get to see him in a new light,” he explained. “I get to see what it was like working with him or what it was like being his friend. It’s just such a gratifying experience for me.”
Heal Los Angeles is joining forces with Charity Buzz, an internet auction company, for a unique opportunity that’s also for a good cause.
“The prize is a featured walk-on extra role on my father’s upcoming biopic,” he revealed. “The production company was really gracious to donate this package to us.”
For more information on how you can participate in the upcoming auction, visit charitybuzz.com/michaelmovie.
The deadline is March 11 at 12:01 p.m. PST.
The “Michael” biopic is slated to be released in April of 2025.
