Skid Row Talent Show Highlights Homeless Performers in Los Angeles Skid Row's first annual talent show in Los Angeles featured a dozen homeless and formerly homeless performers, organized by Rev. Gary Carr to showcase their talents. On Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, Deoujahne Darc, 26, performed an original song on a makeshift stage in Los Angeles' Skid Row during what is believed to be the neighborhood's first annual talent show. Wearing shiny heels, a thrifted dress, and a red rose in her hair, Darc was one of a dozen homeless or formerly homeless performers who sang, danced, and shared their talents in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. Talent Show Showcases Homeless PerformersThe event, organized by Rev. Gary Carr, featured song and dance from participants. Many performed original material, including songs and raps they had written themselves. One performer read Scripture from the Bible, while another covered a rap song to honor a friend who died from gun violence.Passersby stopped to grab food, but others stayed to clap or sing along, especially during a lively rendition of Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Want to Have Fun. At one point, a fight broke out outside, as often happens on Skid Row, but the performers inside the church didn't seem to notice. Outside the entrance, decorated with white-and-gold balloons, mounds of trash bags and cardboard boxes piled up on the street corner. A man slept through the commotion on a pile of cushions, hiding from the heat in the shade of the building.Ladelle Handy, 45, sang and danced to an original song. He spun and moved on stage wearing a leather jacket over a sleek blazer, exuding confidence as the crowd cheered. His friends grooved along and gave him a hug when he finished. Handy grew up dancing in Chicago and moved to Los Angeles 10 years ago to pursue a music career, but has been homeless since he was evicted in February. During his time on Skid Row, he slipped into drug use and depression, and wasn't sure if he would perform because things weren't going well. But he was energized by the other performers and knew he had to get on stage.Handy said that showcasing his God-given talent was important, and he wanted the world to remember that he has it.Community Leader Supports DisenfranchisedThe talent show was organized by Rev. Gary Carr, who holds a weekly service at Lifeway Church in the area. Carr saw that residents had more to offer than what Skid Row has come to represent. He said that people give up on the disenfranchised, thinking they are worthless, but they have value, and through the talent show, one can see a life story and a struggle.Carr came up with the idea to highlight people's talents with a sister church, which helped sponsor the event. They knew another local pastor's weekly open mic was popular among residents, and many would be interested in performing. They selected winners who would continue to meet regularly to develop their talents and put together a performance for Easter.The 69-year-old Carr said he had been homeless himself for nearly 30 years, spending time on the streets between spending time in prison. In 2009, he said he was called into the ministry. While Carr became a pastor and worked at the Union Rescue Mission, one of the oldest shelters in the city, many of his friends remain homeless. He said that these people really know him, they knew him at his worst, and they know what the Lord has done in his life.Performers Share Personal Stories of StruggleFor Darc, the Skid Row stage was a platform to share her music and inspire others who have gone through similar struggles. She was born and raised in Los Angeles and ended up homeless in Oregon after a troubled relationship. With the help of a domestic violence shelter, she returned to California. She spent more than a year and a half on the streets and at a women's shelter before she found stable housing.Even the green dress she wore for her performance had significance. It was one of the first pieces of clothing she purchased with a friend at a Goodwill when she landed in a shelter in California. Finding housing and buying the dress felt like being a mermaid coming onto land from the ocean, she said.Darc has been singing since she was 4 years old and said she has self-produced seven albums. She performed her original song, Grace & Mercy, to show others that everyone is deserving of such virtues as fellow humans, and she wants her voice to be able to heal others. She said that instead of speaking, she would rather put it into the pen, put it into her music, and give it to the world that way.Skid Row has become synonymous with abject poverty, but the several dozen blocks of tents and debris are just a few blocks away from upscale restaurants, office skyscrapers, and tourist destinations. The talent show provided a rare moment of joy and community in the neighborhood.