Destination Crenshaw Brings the Spirit of Crenshaw to Awards Season
LOS ANGELES — During NAACP Image Awards weekend, Destination Crenshaw brought the cultural legacy of the historic Crenshaw corridor to life through an immersive installation that blended public art storytelling with a high-impact experiential moment. The activation featured a custom-restored lowrider set against a video backdrop showcasing iconic scenes from Crenshaw Boulevard. The visuals highlighted neighborhood landmarks, beloved local businesses, and public art connected to the project, while Destination Crenshaw-branded hoodies and caps were distributed to award winners. Inside the space, signage invited guests to scan a QR code to opt in for exclusive sneak-peek tours of the evolving Crenshaw cultural corridor.
Spanning 1.3 miles along Crenshaw Boulevard, Destination Crenshaw will become the largest public art installation in the world created by Black artists when complete. The open-air museum celebrates the history, creativity and cultural influence of Black Los Angeles through monumental sculptures, murals, vibrant landscaping and thoughtfully designed community gathering spaces.
Marqueece Harris-Dawson, President of the Los Angeles City Council, and Jason Foster, President & CEO of Destination Crenshaw, invited NAACP Image Awards participants to learn about Destination Crenshaw’s broader vision as a transformational cultural development initiative. The curated experience engaged award winners, civic leaders, and cultural influencers in conversations about Destination Crenshaw’s long-term vision to celebrate and preserve Black history and creativity in Los Angeles.
“It’s an honor to bring Destination Crenshaw to the internationally recognized NAACP Image Awards, an institution that has long been one of the world’s greatest champions for justice and equality. Destination Crenshaw reflects the very legacy the NAACP helped build—uplifting Black history, culture, and the ongoing fight for freedom right here in Los Angeles,” said Harris-Dawson.
The activation attracted a dynamic mix of civic leaders, artists and media voices, including NAACP leadership: Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP; Karen Boykin-Towns, Vice Chair of the NAACP National Board of Directors; and Aba Blankson, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of the NAACP, alongside civic leaders including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and Maxine Waters, U.S. Congresswoman. Also in attendance was civil rights leader Leon W. Russell, Chairman of the NAACP Image Awards and Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Craig Strong.
Entertainment and cultural figures stopping by the installation included Janelle James from Abbott Elementary, Aldis Hodge and Ashley Rios from Cross, Delroy Lindo, Miles Caton and Wunmi Mosaku from Sinners, hip-hop pioneers Salt-N-Pepa — including Sandra ‘Pepa’ Denton and Cheryl ‘Salt’ James — joined by DJ Spinderella, along with Karla Mosley and Daphnée Duplaix from Beyond the Gates, Mignon from Tyler Perry’s Sistas, Courtney Nichole from Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living, Tyriq Withers from HIM, and Nefetari Spencer from Reasonable Doubt. Additional attendees included comedian/producer Chris Spencer and award-winning director Emmai Alaquiva. Media voices also engaged with the installation, including Roland Martin, host of Roland Martin Unfiltered, and journalist Sarah Jones Smith of the Associated Press.
Supporters, cultural leaders and community partners are invited to learn more about Destination Crenshaw and explore opportunities to help bring the nation’s most ambitious public celebration of Black art and culture to life. For more information, visit DestinationCrenshaw.LA.
