Sixteen years in the making, GROWING UP focuses on Fernando Pullum and the impact he’s had on thousands of youth in South Central Los Angeles. Through music Fernando rose above his own harrowing childhood and for decades he’s passed that gift along to his students.Graduates of Pullum’s program have gone on to play with Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Stevie Wonder, and Snoop Dogg, been recipients of 6 Grammy Awards; but he’s proudest of their growth as men and women. The centerpiece of the film is a conversation between two of Pullum students over the course of a decade. Despite tremendous odds, they find success, much of which they credit to Pullum’s influence.