Leimert Park is no ordinary neighborhood. It's a focal point of energy that fuels the creativity and transformation of artists and activists alike. It is the hub of African American culture in Los Angeles, rich with history, activity, and possibility. Its design, created by the Olmsted Brothers for the Walter H. Leimert Company in the 1920s, fosters this flow of thought, creativity and communal gathering, with streets, boulevards, storefronts, parks, homes and schools laid out to bring people together to share experiences and build community. Departures Youth Voices Leimert Park is hoping to harness some of this energy bubbling up from the sidewalk and pouring out of buildings as we work with young people to share their stories about this extraordinary location.

The student producers come with a strong connection to the neighborhood having already taken part in various activities throughout the community. They come to Youth Voices with knowledge of the neighborhoods history and with hopes for its future. They will be engaged in a multimedia exploration and dialogue with their neighborhood and their place within it, connecting with their community face-to-face and through digital media, and creating visual expressions of the neighborhood where they attend school, work, live, and play.

Follow us to see Leimert Park, through the eyes and words of the next generation of artists, activists, and storytellers.