In recognition of Juneteenth, the Los Angeles Rams and City Year Los Angeles (CYLA) led a school beautification project at Florence Griffith Joyner Elementary School in Watts. During the effort, members of the Rams 2024 Rookie Class, Rams Cheerleaders and mascot Rampage joined staff volunteers from Bank of America, Hollywood Park and the Rams to paint murals on campus. The murals aim to inspire students and provide motivation throughout their school day.

Volunteers received a Juneteenth t-shirt with a graphic designed by local artist and Rams season ticket member, Domonique Brown. The design was also highlighted for the team’s Juneteenth social post. When designing the graphic, Brown had one thing in mind: celebration.

"Juneteenth is about the end of slavery, but in present time, this is about celebration, solidarity, unity and support of the Black community," said Brown. As a Rams season ticket member who enjoys cheering the Rams on each game, she described the opportunity to design a graphic for the Rams in celebration of Juneteenth as an honor.

"It is really meaningful that the Rams have decided to take our experience that we have created of school beautification as a way to express appreciation for such a historical experience in our nation," said Dr. Sandra Cano, executive director of City Year Los Angeles. "It's a recognition of what we've been fighting for, for so many years and then take it with a positive spin and impact a school that has so much room for opportunity and growth in the city of Los Angeles."

Dr. Cano mentioned the importance of creating equity across education and job opportunities to work towards ensuring everyone has access to opportunity. She shared that throughout the Rams partnership with City Year, they have demonstrated the positive impact that can be made in communities throughout Los Angeles.

City Year is a national organization that places young adult AmeriCorps members alongside teachers in under-resourced schools to improve academic outcomes and provide social and emotional support for students. The school beautification project is a continuation of the longstanding partnership between the Rams and CYLA to increase student's access to effective learning environments and resources in communities affected by systemic inequities that disproportionately affect students of color, so that students can thrive in school and in life. As part of the Rams' commitment to address educational inequities, the organization has funded CYLA student success teams at Grape Street Elementary in Watts, Crozier Middle School in Inglewood and Florence Griffith Joyner Elementary in Watts.

This marks the second consecutive year the Rams have teamed up with City Year to host a beautification project at a local school in recognition of Juneteenth. Last year, the Rams partnered with City Year to lead a beautification project at George Washington Preparatory High School. The Rams and CYLA have also completed school beautification projects at Crozier Middle School, Dymally High School and Woodworth-Monroe K-8 Academy.

"We are creating a partnership with the Rams, as well as other organizations, to make sure we show the community the impact we can create," said Dr. Cano.

The Rams continued to give back to the community in recognition of Juneteenth by supporting the Zawadi Cultural Collective's Black in the Valley, the organization's sixth annual Juneteenth celebration on June 15. Members of the Rams B.O.L.D. (Black Originators, Leaders and Doers) Employee Resource Community volunteered at the event and hosted a pop-up tent featuring donations, giveaways, raffles, and football engagement opportunities. B.O.L.D. members also sported the shirt with the Juneteenth graphic designed by Brown at the event.

Brown is the founder of lifestyle brand, DomoINK. She describes the brand as one that "celebrates art, home decor, apparel and gift options in celebration of diversity." Brown's brand features her own original artwork that has been featured in Buzzfeed, Forbes, MAX, Target and more.

For more information about the Rams' community outreach efforts, visit www.therams.com/community and to learn more about City Year's six areas of impact, visit cityyear.la, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.