Developed in Compton (DIC)

Access to tech and creative industry employment

South LA South Bay Long Beach East LA Central LA

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

South LA and Compton are home to countless creatives, yet access to resources, technology, and opportunities remains limited. Our community faces a shortage of local art facilities, stores, and creative spaces, making it difficult for residents—especially youth—to grow their talents close to home. To address this, we created a dedicated space that provides tools, access, and support for creative development. The response has been overwhelming, proving there is both a need and a strong desire for this kind of local investment. Not everyone has the means to leave their city to pursue their dreams—nor should they have to. Our space offers a critical hub for creativity, learning, and job opportunities, right here in the neighborhood.

We have already begun addressing this issue by launching a creative resource center in Compton—Developed in Compton (DIC). This center serves as a vital hub for local artists and youth—offering access to tools, technology, and training that are otherwise unavailable in our community. While the space is up and running, we are seeking support to expand its services, deepen its impact, and sustain operations as demand grows.
The center currently provides access to fine art equipment and services, in addition to hosting free educational workshop days that demystify these services and encourage community participation.
In addition, youth are being trained and paid to develop creative and technical skills that prepare them for careers in design, photography, and production. This grant would enable us to scale our services, support more artists, and expand youth training opportunities in response to the growing demand we've experienced since opening. By offering the tools and guidance often locked behind institutional or financial barriers,our center bridges that gap with localized, hands-on support.Specifically, the grant will support the development of the lab’s darkroom, including the installation of darkroom printing stations. This addition will expand our service offerings, create new educational and training opportunities, and provide local artists with much-needed access to darkroom facilities.

Los Angeles is a global hub for creativity, yet Black and Brown communities often remain excluded from the training, resources, and opportunities needed to thrive in the creative industry. While countless films and stories have been made about Compton and surrounding neighborhoods, few are written, produced, or directed by people from these communities. Our work directly addresses this imbalance by creating pathways for local youth and artists of color to gain access, ownership, and professional experience in the creative sector.
If our work is successful, Los Angeles County will see a growing wave of authentic, community-rooted storytelling led by those who have historically been left out. The result will be not only more inclusive representation in media and the arts, but also increased economic opportunity and career development for communities that have long shaped the cultural identity of LA.