For Immediate Release: 
June 24, 2025

[email protected] 

Congresswoman Maxine Waters Joins Watts Empowerment Center at Imperial Courts Groundbreaking  

Los Angeles, CA – On January 21, 2025, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, joined the Watts Empowerment Center for the groundbreaking of the Watts Empowerment Film and Music Studio at Imperial Courts public housing development in Watts. 

The Watts Empowerment Center, located in the heart of Imperial Courts’ public housing site, is a 12,900 sq ft facility committed to the children, youth, and families in the community. The new Film and Music Studio will add 2,000 sq ft and provide the young people with an opportunity to extend their creativity, develop their talents, and realize success as artists, with the help of top industry and business professionals in the music and film industry.

“I deeply appreciate the transformative personal enrichment and job training opportunities this facility will provide for public housing residents,” said Congresswoman Waters. 

The new Film and Music Studio will feature a large production area with a green screen for filming and four separate sound booths for music production and recording. HACLA expects to initiate construction later this summer and open the studio to the community by the fall of 2026. 

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