In 1992, in the wake of the Los Angeles riots, commercial and documentary producer Dorothy Thompson became convinced that many of the city’s racial and cultural tensions were caused by the lack of fulfilling job opportunities available to young men and women living in L.A.’s disadvantaged neighborhoods. Specifically, she noted the shortage of employment options that would allow them to make a decent wage, establish themselves in a stable career and support themselves and their children. Further, when she looked around on her own projects, she saw no one of color on any of her crews.

Confident she could make a difference, Thompson began by personally training several young people as Production Assistants (P.A.'s), securing work for them on commercials with the production companies with whom she had worked over the years.  Slowly but surely, other companies with a commitment to diversity came forward, including those producing movie and television projects, while more trainees were found for the steadily increasing amount of jobs.  In answer to the growing numbers of eager students and willing employers, Streetlights was born.