Levi’s® & Come Tees partnered with Watts Community Core to support LA families
April 2022
Last month, Levi’s® teamed up with artist Sonya Sombreuil of Los Angeles based brand Come Tees, on a limited collection that celebrates art, anarchy, and community connection. Customized & designed at the Come Tees studio in LA, each unique piece serves as a personal canvas for Sonya, who draws upon punk ethos, spiritual inclination, and west coast influence for inspiration.
The project with Come Tees was born out of a joint passion for community & desire to build stronger connections through the support of local talent and value driven organizations. A key component of bringing this to life included partnering with Watts Community Core, a non-profit organization based out of LA. Connected to their mission, Sonya chose to spotlight the organization – recognizing the importance & impact of their work in the community.
Watts Community Core is a non-profit committed to making a difference for youth in Nickerson Gardens and the surrounding areas of Watts. The organization was started in response to a growing need for positive role models & a safe space to play within the local neighborhood, which is infamous for gang violence.
Their mission is to create Bright Futures for Watts by equipping the youth with holistic after school programs in science, arts, education & recreation; while developing skills that will enable them to excel in life such as discipline, dedication, hard work & perseverance. From offering a safe space for after school activity to mentorship & food relief services, their goal is to provide invaluable resources that positively impact the community on a daily basis.
Started & led by residents who have lived in the same community their entire lives, the program is the most effective and sustainable solution for the challenges faced by local youth. Leaders pass down lessons to younger generations to help them avoid some of the mistakes & pitfalls they experienced. With positive mentorship & coaching, the outcome is to see an improvement in grades, reduction in behavioral infractions, and avoidance in gang involvement. All of these goals are tracked & measured during the course of the program to evaluate impact.
To support Watts in their mission – along with a monetary donation for after school programs, Levi’s® & Come Tees hosted a DIY workshop at the community center, with 15 members ranging from 7 to 14 years old. Sonya started off by sharing background on her journey as an artist and the importance of identifying your passion, staying focused & working hard. She spoke about where she finds inspiration and how she uses art to explore themes like empowerment, self-expression, growth & balance. Participants were then guided by Sonya through the process of personalizing their own jeans & trucker jackets using customization elements like markers, patches, paint & more.
To extend this partnership, we will be offering a limited amount of DIY Customization Kits available for purchase exclusively at the Levi’s® Store in Century City. Each kit is comprised of threads, needles, fabric markers, studs, & 3 exclusive Come Tees patches designed by Sonya, celebrating the punk spirit of personal style and making Levi’s® entirely your own. Drop by the store and purchase a kit to customize your Levi’s® at home or sign-up for a design session at the tailor shop.
