I AM Park

Green space, park access, and trees

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Crenshaw is located in Council District 8, which scores profoundly low on the California Healthy Spaces Index (HPI), which measures physical, social, and economic issues to summarize community health. The corridor also scored 80-95% on the CaliEnviroScreen used to implement programs to reduce pollution and provide a healthier environment in CA’s most disadvantaged communities. This rating places the Destination Crenshaw project area in the state's highest category of environmentally underprivileged communities. CD8 also only has .53 acres of recreational space per 1,000 people, compared to 8.10 in LA County, making the area “park poor.” Our work addresses these issues through an exciting interplay of art and green space that will ignite imaginations while solving the practical problems of a lack of access to park space. The park is one of several we’re developing, transforming vacant space into a thriving public resource.

Destination Crenshaw is developing new pocket parks throughout Crenshaw, including I AM Park, located east of Crenshaw Boulevard on Slauson Street, dedicated to play and the children and families of South Los Angeles. I AM Park is 5,700 square feet and takes its name from local artist Brenna Youngblood’s sculpture, “I AM,” which will be installed in the park and invites children to climb on and interact with it. The park will also feature environmentally sustainable plant selections native to Africa. Additionally, local artist collective Mosaic Mafia will create colorful art installations throughout the park. An undulating mosaic bench will celebrate the names of influential local artists, activists, and musicians and bring curiosity and wonder to the space. Colorful mounds will be perfect for playing or relaxing on. A textural series of applique mosaics featuring recycled materials will be installed on the privacy wall. The mosaics will invite residents and visitors to explore the beauty of repurposed materials, including scrap ceramic and glass, broken plates, and seashells. Mosaic is a unique medium that incorporates bright colors, mixed materials, and imagination to culminate in an incredible visual experience, based on the texture, history, and color of the tiles. Embedded in the designs will be symbols of empowerment and silhouettes of people and objects that symbolize improvisation inspired by wonder, curiosity, and wisdom.

I AM Park is an important asset for health and well-being, providing space to play, rest, and engage with others. Our project adds creativity and curiosity to the park, increasing community engagement and inspiring artistic expression. The project will inspire local gatherings, encourage meetups, and become a sought-after destination for play and rest. These are important attributes for a healthy community. Furthermore, with its layering of cultural icons and historical markers into its design, the project is a testament to the presence of Crenshaw’s Black community. As gentrification and displacement are rising, claiming space is a powerful benefit of the project. Creating a scalable community model for the development of safe public space, generating shade through reforestation, and developing sustainable infrastructure that invites engagement with natural elements are ways South Los Angeles will be positively changed through our project.

I AM Park is part of our larger Destination Crenshaw undertaking wherein we are transforming a 1.3-mile stretch of Crenshaw Boulevard into a thriving corridor linked by architecturally stunning community spaces and parks, hundreds of newly planted trees, and over 100 commissioned works of art by local Black artists. This unique community-led process celebrates Crenshaw’s legacy as an epicenter of creativity and culture and stamps the neighborhood with our cultural presence. We are working with CVL Economics, a leader in creative economy research, to evaluate the potential impacts of the Destination Crenshaw project and to build an in-depth profile of Crenshaw’s creative community (which was published in 2023 through a collaboration with Otis College and LISC LA). We will continue working with CVL Economics to measure the impact of I AM Park, assessing community engagement, park usage, the effect on youth and families in the area, and particular impacts around art in the park.