CREATEICV Paint the Path: Youth Murals for Change
This grant will support a transformative community beautification and youth engagement initiative in Florence-Firestone through the commissioning of four large-scale public murals. The project will include art workshops for youth and local residents, designed to uplift community identity, reduce tagging, and foster healing through collaborative expression. This opportunity aligns with our current Antiracism, Diversity, and Inclusion Initiative (ARDI), allowing us to expand our mission of equity, healing, and inclusion through public art.
What is the primary issue area that your application will impact?
Access to tech and creative industry employment
In which areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?
South LA
In what stage of innovation is this project, program, or initiative?
Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)
What is your understanding of the issue that you are seeking to address?
Our initiative addresses the limited access to creative industry pathways for underrepresented youth in Florence-Firestone, a historically underserved community in South Los Angeles. Although L.A. is a hub for creative and tech industries, systemic barriers—such as lack of exposure, training, and mentorship—keep BIPOC youth from participating. At the same time, the community struggles with graffiti, disinvestment, and a need for healing spaces. Through this project, we will engage youth in the design and creation of four public murals, combining hands-on art education with leadership development. This effort builds on our current ARDI-funded work with the Office of Violence Prevention and aims to inspire pride, skill-building, and entry into creative careers while addressing community blight and disconnection.
Describe the project, program, or initiative this grant will support to address the issue.
The proposed initiative will utilize community-based art to address the visual neglect, graffiti tagging, and lack of creative outlets for youth in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood. Through a series of guided workshops, local youth and residents will work with experienced muralists to co-design and paint four major murals throughout the community. These murals will reflect the culture, resilience, and aspirations of Florence-Firestone residents, transforming underutilized walls into powerful storytelling canvases. Youth participants—especially those identified as emerging leaders—will gain mentorship, art training, and leadership experience, helping to redirect energies from tagging and vandalism toward public service and creativity. The project fosters intergenerational collaboration, cultural pride, and neighborhood revitalization.
Describe how Los Angeles County will be different if your work is successful.
If successful, this project will serve as a model for reclaiming public spaces through youth-led art and storytelling, reducing graffiti through proactive community investment. Florence-Firestone will see a visible shift: walls once marked by blight will reflect hope, resilience, and unity. Youth will feel a greater sense of agency and belonging, and residents will benefit from a stronger, safer, and more beautiful neighborhood. Over time, the murals will serve not only as artistic landmarks but as catalysts for civic pride and sustained community-led improvements across Los Angeles County.
Approximately how many people will be impacted by this project, program, or initiative?
Direct Impact: 180
Indirect Impact: 15,000