Grant AME Church and the Natural Resources Defense Council
Challenge
For many, Watts is synonymous with the folk art towers of the same name and the mass civil unrest that engulfed the LA County neighborhood 50 years ago. A partnership steered by Watts-based Grant EDC (a nonprofit connected to the Grant AME Church) and the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Urban Solutions program, and in collaboration with several other local organizations, sought to revitalize the neighborhood and strengthen the community by remaking its buildings and streetscapes so that they were more inviting to pedestrians and more connected to parks, green spaces, and transit. The ambitious goal was to turn Watts into “a thriving neighborhood that its residents deserve.”
Solution
SGA was brought in to help create new branding, and develop and implement new communication strategies to promote the revitalization of the historic neighborhood of Watts with developments that focused on quality of life, social equity, economic opportunity, and environmental sustainability.




Results
We created a new branding and communication strategy for Watts Re:Imagined. Our goal was to create a look, feel, voice, and narrative that helped Watts Re:Imagined meet its multi-faceted goals:
- Leverage the visibility of the 50th anniversary of the Watts Riots to promote brand recognition and a widespread understanding of the Watts Re:Imagined vision.
- Garner interest and support from stakeholders, politicians, and potential investors to bring the Watts Re:Imagined plan to life.