Wave Staff Report
CRENSHAW — Assemblyman Isaac Bryan, D-Los Angeles, presented the Crenshaw Family YMCA with a $3 million state investment Nov. 4 for facility upgrades and increased community programming. The allocation in the 2026-27 state budget was a top priority for Bryan.
“There are places in a community that are anchors for hope and opportunity. The Crenshaw Y is one of those places,” Bryan said. “The programs, events, and services they provide maintain our community in body and mind.”
Far beyond physical fitness, the Crenshaw Family YMCA has developed a rich menu of programs that support the needs of the whole person like music classes, gardening workshops, after school programs, early learning programs, youth leadership activities, and mental health support.
Former NBA player Russell Westbrook shared his personal experiences as a youth at the Crenshaw Y and the impact it had on his nonprofit work today.
“Growing up in South L.A., places like the Crenshaw YMCA gave us a safe place to play, come together and start figuring out who we wanted to be,” said Westbrook, founder of the Why Not? Foundation and Russell Westbrook Enterprises. “When leaders step up to help secure this kind of support, it shows our kids that they truly matter and that their zip code doesn’t define their ceiling. I’m grateful to Assemblyman Bryan for helping bring this investment to the Crenshaw Y, and we look forward to building on that support as the Why Not? Foundation expands its own investment in the Y in 2027.”
Located at 3820 Santa Rosalia Drive, the Crenshaw Family YMCA serves nearly 3,000 local residents each year and engages hundreds of volunteers.
“Six years ago, Russell Westbrook invested in the Crenshaw YMCA. Today, Assemblyman Isaac Bryan is building on that legacy with a $3 million investment in our future,” said Brittani Daniels, executive director of the Crenshaw Family YMCA. “This is what it looks like when love for community comes with action.
“The YMCA stands as the center for community well-being, where our families enjoy spaces that reflect their worth and our young people find opportunity right here in their own neighborhood. Crenshaw deserves investment that matches the strength of its people. We are the village and today, we’re building on a promise to keep showing up for our own,” Daniels added.
