Save the Watts Community Center
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WATCH OUR CAMPAIGN VIDEO SAVE THE WATTS COMMUNITY CENTER THE ZIP CODE YOU ARE BORN INTO SHOULD NOT DETERMINE YOUR FATE. Yet, if we do not act now, the voices of children across Watts, CA will never be heard and their dreams will never be given a fair chance. YOUTH OF WATTS DUE TO NATIONWIDE BUDGET CUTS, the Imperial Courts Community of Watts is on the brink of losing ALL of the city-funded programs and their entire Community Center by DECEMBER 2017, unless a sustainable solution is provided. Kamari, a 6 year old girl from Watts, wants to be a mom, a dancer and a doctor. Marveon (14) wants to be President of the United States of America one day, yet sometimes it seems as if all the forces in their world are working against their dreams. KAMARI (6), Watts, CA Dreams of being a mom, Gang strife, a struggling school system, and rising poverty rates dancer and doctor. are bearing down on the children of Watts. Here, fewer than 2.9% of people earn a college degree. By no choice of her own, these incredible children were born into one of the most challenging neighborhoods in the United States. We can change the story of one of the most underserved areas of America. We can redefine a zip code. MARVEON (14), Watts, CA Founder and President of the anti-bullying club in Watts. CREATE THE EMPOWERMENT CENTER PROBLEM The Community Recreation Center in Watts has been a critical safe-haven for youth and famlies for over a decade. The Housing Projects is an area known by many as the epicenter of the Bloods and the Crips Gangs. However, The Communtiy reports of crime and violence in the area has been dramatically reduced since the Community Center opened Center will close it’s its doors, making it absolutely necessary we do everything to keep this Center open for many years to come. With doors forever and recent nationwide budget cuts, the communtiy of Watts will lose all programs and the Community Center if a viable lose all programs financial solution is not provided immediately. and services. VISION Our non-profit Red Eye has been mentoring youth in Watts every Saturday for the past 11 years. When we found out about the budget cuts, we knew we had to act quickly on behalf of the youth. We began dreaming with the A New Community community and asking what kind of programs, events and Community Center would best serve them. We started to Empowerment develop a new type of Center, THE WATTS EMPOWERMENT CENTER, a place where the youth, young adults and Center for Watts. families in Imperial Courts can discover their purpose, while developing their talents with the help of top industry and business professionals. OPPORTUNITY Red Eye, just a few weeks ago was approved by the City of Los Angeles and the Community of Watts to be the adminstrator and fully take over the Community Center in Watts for 2017 and beyond. We will be taking over, Red Eye, as the new creating and running ALL of the community programs, sports teams, computer labs, after-school tutoring, mentoring, administratrator, is job training, business, music, arts, dance, and creative courses, and more. now in charge of all programming and services for the We are in URGENT need of financial supporters to support us in this massive Watts community. opportunity to bring real change to the community of Watts, CA. Every dollar raised will 100% fund the new EMPOWERMENT CENTER. TIMELINE WE NEED TO REACH OUR FUNDING GOAL OF 500K BY We have a timely DECEMBER 2017 TO SAVE THE COMMUNITY CENTER. opportunity to make a huge difference for the youth, young Red Eye will be completely renovating the entire building, plan to move in and launch initital adults, and families programs starting in January 2018. of Watts. ABOUT RED EYE 15,000+ Red Eye is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with global chapters in L.A., N.Y.C., Las Vegas, London, Paris and Sydney. EMPOWERED YOUTH For the past 11+ years, Red Eye 100,000+ has been at the forefront of creative HOURS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE community engagement throughout 750+ Los Angeles and the world. COMMUNITY EVENTS AND PROJECTS Our non-profit is made up of over 5,000 active volunteers and over 270 business professionals. Red Eye has an extensive network of business connections, university 5,000+ partnerships, and relationships that work to tirelessly VOLUNTEERS WORLDWIDE to advance and support the underserved across the globe. Together, locally and globally we are able to reach vulnerable communities and make a positive difference. Learn more at www.redeye.org LO nd O N + paris LOCAL ne W Y O R K L as V E G as &GLOBAL LOS ANGELES - RED EYE’S MAIN CHAPTER impact sydney OUR MISSION creatiVITY COMMUNITY HUMANITY Red Eye provides a 24/7 COMMUNITY for Culture Creators, Influencers and Leaders toEMPOWER their lives, SUPPORT their dreams, and DEVELOP their talents as well as those of the next generation. While reaching out to help humanity and MENTOR those in need, we CONNECT one cultural extreme with another, and CHANGE THE WORLD along the way. Watts has the lowest life Watts has the highest % expectancy rate in the state of families headed by 7,000 single parents in L.A. 39% gang members in only of California. 2 square miles in Watts 2 mi of Watts lives below the poverty line. THE VISION We dream of creating a state-of-the-art facility where families are equipped and the youth in Watts can discover their purpose while developing their talents with the help of top industry and business professionals. COMMUNITY VOICES “In 1997 the gym was taken away from us, which increased crime and rates of kids going to juvenile facilities. It’s very important for us to keep this community center. It’s the hub of our community. It’s like the place in the village where everyone goes to get some type of healing.” BOBBY YaY YaY JONES, Watts, CA Community Activist, Writer, Producer The largest demographic in Watts is 10 years old 50% 2.9% or younger. of the population have of Watts residents aged less than a high school 25 and older have earned degree. a four-year degree. Watts is the youngest population of any neighborhood in L.A. The median age is 21. *Descriptions of all programs and courses WATTS EMPOWERMENT CENTER available upon request PROGRAMS 2018 A. TUTORING AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM UNLOCK THE MIND B. MEDIA AND FILM In our computer lab and classroom C. GRAPHIC DESIGN / BRANDING we will have business, tech, academic D. PHOTOGRAPHY enrichment courses and media E. SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING programs that help develop and F. LAW STUDIES AND ETHICS G. SAT TUTORING AND COLLEGE PREP unlock the mind in powerful ways. H. JOB EMPOWERMENT I. VIRTUAL REALITY (VR) ENGAGE THE HEART A. MUSIC PRODUCTION B. DANCE THERAPY In our Creative Studio at the C. GARDENS OF HOPE Community Center we will have D. UNICEF GLOBAL PEN PALS dance classes, art therapy, gardens, E. DRUM LINE global pen pals, and self-worth F. THEATRE ARTS AND ACTING initiatives that engage the heart. G. CREATIVITY AND ART THERAPY H. LIFE COACHING AND MENTORING ACTIVATE THE BODY A. ATHLETIC CENTER B. PHYSICAL EDUCATION An athletic center with fitness education, C. NUTRITION AND COOKING health and hygiene promotion, nutrition, D. HEALTH AND HYGIENE and body confidence classes that teach E. YOGA youth how to strengthen and protect F. BODY CONFIDENCE their bodies. G. DRESS FOR SUCCESS H. SPORTS TEAMS • FOOTBALL • SOCCER • BASKETBALL • VOLLEYBALL • INSPIRE THE SOUL CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER (SCIENCE OBSERVED) CALTECH (SCIENCE IMPLEMENTED) (field trips) SPACE X (ROCKET SCIENCE AND ASTROPHYSICS) SNAPCHAT (TECHNOLOGY - SOFTWARE) A chance for youth and families to KTLA (BROADCAST JOURNALISM) explore outside the confines of Watts CITY HALL (GOVERNMENT AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT) with excursions and field trips that LAPD AND LAFD (EMERGENCY RESOURCES) broaden the perspectives of the DISNEY AND NIKELODEON (ART AND MEDIA) children and inspire their soul. WARNER BROTHERS (MUSIC) CAA (FILM) CAMPING WEEKEND... AND MORE! We believe in the success of this community as a whole. With the local community in mind, we created brand new programming for the Watts Empowerment Center that will unlock the mind, engage the heart, activate the body and inspire the soul. UNLOCK THE MIND ENGAGE THE HEART ACTIVATE THE BODY INSPIRE THE SOUL CREATIVE STUDIO JOB EMPOWERMENT YOUTH MENTORING OUR PROMISE TO THE COMMINITY We are committed to finding numerous opportunities to equip, With Red Eye’s new programming provided, our encourage, educate and invest in the Watts community of Watts hope is to decrease gang violence and crime in transformative ways. With these proposed programs, our goal is through providing new opportunities for youth to unlock the potential of the youth, young adults and families that and families with the hope of a better tomorrow. utilize the Watts Empowerment Center. The new Watts Empowerment Center has been chosen as a local pilot site under the Human Development Campaign. The Campaign combines all new and innovative technology for a universal education and employment initiative in connection with the UN Foundation and corporate partners. This initiative is launching this quarter to the public and we are honored to be a pilot site. A NEW COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT CENTER OUR FUNDRAISING GOAL: Why 500k? Our goal of $500,000* will cover all expenses and the complete overhaul, renovations and redesign of the new Watts Empowerment Center. The building operated on a city annual budget of over $500,000, so we want to do the best we can to cut costs, while expanding programming and opportunity.