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When Legacy Meets Purpose: WanJean, Jayne Kennedy, and the Path Toward Cultural Monuments


In late November and early December 2025, a powerful convergence of art, advocacy, and civic leadership unfolded—one that speaks directly to the heart of The Concrete Rose Project (TCRP) and its growing presence across Los Angeles County.


At the center of this moment were WanJean, founder and visionary behind The Concrete Rose Project, and Jayne Kennedy, a trailblazing media pioneer, author, and lifelong advocate for women, culture, and representation.


Their meeting took place during Jayne Kennedy’s memoir book signing for Plain Jayne, held in association with the United Nations Women's Conference—a fitting setting for two women whose work is rooted in elevating stories that history too often overlooks.

Two Journeys, One Shared Purpose


ayne Kennedy’s legacy is well documented: a barrier-breaking sports broadcaster, actress, producer, and cultural icon who used her visibility not for spectacle, but for service. Her advocacy work continues today through initiatives connected to the LA24 Foundation, the nonprofit legacy arm supporting the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Bid. The foundation’s mission emphasizes youth, equity, access, and long-term cultural investment—values that closely align with TCRP’s work.


WanJean’s journey, while rooted in visual art, follows a parallel path. Through The Concrete Rose Project Inc.’s Monuments Initiative, she has been actively presenting proposals to Long Beach city officials and engaging municipal leaders throughout Los Angeles County to establish permanent cultural monuments that honor excellence, resilience, and community memory in public spaces.


These are not abstract ideas. They are city-scale conversations—about land use, public art, legacy, and how culture lives beyond a single generation.


From the Conference Floor to the Gallery Walls


Following the book signing, the relationship deepened.


After meeting WanJean at the UN-affiliated event, Jayne Kennedy later visited WanJean’s gallery in Long Beach to experience her work firsthand. This private viewing transformed a public introduction into a meaningful exchange—one rooted in mutual respect, lived experience, and shared belief in the power of art to shape civic identity.

This moment matters.


It reflects how TCRP engages differently:

  • Not through cold proposals alone

  • Not through symbolic appearances

  • But through authentic relationship-building with business owners, cultural leaders, city officials, and respected public figures


Why This Connection Matters to the Community


The Monuments Initiative is designed to live at the intersection of:

  • City partnerships

  • Cultural storytelling

  • Public art

  • Education and legacy preservation


Support from advocates connected to initiatives like LA28 strengthens TCRP’s ability to secure funding, build public trust, and align with long-term civic visions already in motion across Los Angeles County.


These conversations—sparked at conferences, continued in galleries, and advanced in city halls—are how monuments move from idea to reality.


A Model for Engagement, Not Endorsement


This moment between WanJean and Jayne Kennedy is not presented as an endorsement—it is something more valuable.


It is evidence of credibility, access, and momentum.


It demonstrates that The Concrete Rose Project is:

  • Present where global advocacy conversations happen

  • Engaged with leaders shaping the future of Los Angeles

  • Trusted enough to invite dialogue at the highest levels

  • Grounded enough to bring those conversations back to the community

Why Your Support Is Essential


Cultural monuments do not build themselves.

They require:

  • Visionary artists

  • Persistent civic engagement

  • Strategic partnerships

  • And community investment


When you support The Concrete Rose Project, you are investing in:

  • Permanent public art that tells the truth

  • Cities that honor their people

  • A future where culture is protected, not erased


The meeting between WanJean and Jayne Kennedy is just one chapter—but it reflects a broader movement already underway.

Join The Legacy In Motion


The Concrete Rose Project continues to engage city officials, business leaders, and cultural icons to move its mission forward—one relationship at a time.

If you believe culture belongs in the public square,

If you believe monuments should reflect the people,

If you believe legacy is something we build together—


👉 Support The Concrete Rose Project

👉 Donate. Partner. Share the mission.


Because roses don’t rise from concrete by accident. They rise because someone made room for them to grow.



 
 
 

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