By Lila Brown for The LA Sentinel
Originally published Nov. 11, 2026
Hours after winning reelection amid a Democratic blue wave that swept the nation, Assemblymember Isaac G. Bryan returned to the Crenshaw Family YMCA on Nov. 4 to present a $3 million state investment in facility improvements and expanded community programming.
For the families, volunteers and community leaders gathered inside its basketball gym, the presentation represented an investment in an institution whose reach extends well beyond sports.
The allocation, included in the 2026-27 state budget, was a priority for Bryan, D-Los Angeles, whose 55th Assembly District includes the Crenshaw community. His office said the funding will support new and upgraded facilities, allowing the YMCA to expand its services.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Sentinel, Bryan connected the investment to a broader responsibility to ensure that historically underserved communities have opportunities to thrive.
“And the reason we are that beacon of hope is because we believe that everybody should have an opportunity to thrive, and that takes investment,” Bryan said.
The presentation followed an election that delivered sweeping Democratic victories nationally. Bryan’s return to office placed him among the night’s Democratic winners, although the YMCA allocation came through the state budget approved before the election.
At the Crenshaw Y, the focus was on what sustained investment could mean for future generations.
The center serves nearly 3,000 residents annually and engages hundreds of volunteers. Its offerings include music classes, gardening workshops, after-school activities, early learning, youth leadership and mental health support.
Bryan highlighted holiday food distributions, a community toy drive, wellness activities and a men’s healing circle as examples of the work that makes the facility a neighborhood anchor.
Russell Westbrook, founder of the Why Not? Foundation and Russell Westbrook Enterprises, joined the celebration. Speakers recognized his foundation’s longstanding support, including its work with Jordan Brand to transform the basketball facilities.
Westbrook told the Sentinel that meaningful community involvement requires consistent work beyond public appearances.
“I believe that God puts everyone in places and things for certain reasons and it’s our job to be able to help our young people, especially here in Los Angeles,” he said.
He expressed hope that those young people would help others in turn, continuing that service across generations.
LAUSD Board Member Sherlett Hendy Newbill, who represents District 1, recalled her own experiences in the gym. She thanked Bryan and Westbrook for investing in a place used by local students and families.
YMCA Board Chair Adia Smith-Parker described Crenshaw as central to the history and culture of Black LA. She emphasized the importance of children finding encouragement, parents receiving support and older adults maintaining connection and dignity.
Youth participant DeAndre Kirkpatrick offered a personal account of that mission. He described receiving tutoring during the pandemic and developing friendships through sports. After losing both parents within months of each other, he said, the YMCA provided support and a place where he and his younger brother could play basketball.
“It was my second home,” Kirkpatrick said.
His experience underscored the stakes of the investment: preserving a place where young people can find stability, mentorship and belonging.
Against the backdrop of the election’s blue wave, the presentation offered a hopeful sign of what continued public investment could bring to Crenshaw — with its impact ultimately measured in the lives of the people who walk through the YMCA’s doors.
