To mark the 50th anniversary of the Watts riots, college students and community members gathered Saturday to renovate a neighborhood community center and fire station that was once in shambles after the rebellion.
“It’s something good to do for the neighborhood” resident John Jones, Jr. said. “People used to be afraid to come to Watts. When you say Watts, they would say ‘No.’"
Watts residents joined LA City Councilman Joe Buscaino and California State University Dominguez Hills students to repaint rooms, restore playgrounds and plant gardens at the Bradley Milken Family Source Center and Fire Station 65.
Community members said the event was crucial to highlighting the progress the community has made since the 1965 Watts Riots.
"There’s a lot of good things in Watts but nobody ever hears about it," Jones said. “All they hear is the negative stuff in Watts.”
After the Watts Rebellion highlighted the issues surrounding access to higher education, California State University Dominguez Hills was established in Carson.
Now, Watts residents said they must continue to advocate for the neighborhood and the next generation of people who call it home.
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“We’ve gotta set an example for the children that’s coming up in this community,” Jones said. “If we want them to see what we do, we’ve got to show them that this is part of their community and they’ve got to keep it clean.”
