Justin Mayo
Justin Mayo is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit executive, community builder, and advocate for youth opportunity through education, the arts, athletics, and media. He serves as Executive Director of Red Eye and the Watts Empowerment Center, widely known as the "#1 Most Active CommUNITY Center in Los Angeles," serving children, youth, and families in Watts and throughout Los Angeles.
For more than 20 years, Mayo has helped lead programs centered on academic support, sports, workforce readiness, food distribution, STEM education, performing arts, and safe spaces for young people. His work brings together volunteers, public agencies, educators, artists, athletes, entertainers, and community partners to create access and meaningful opportunity for families in historically underserved neighborhoods.
Mayo lead the development of the multi-million-dollar Watts Empowerment Film & Music Studio, a creative-access project designed to give young people hands-on opportunities in film, music, production, storytelling, and emerging media. The studio is built not only to provide professional resources and equipment, but to connect top industry talent with young people and aspiring creatives from the streets of Watts who are already putting in the work and building their own paths.
A longtime advocate for strength training, work ethic, and physical confidence, Mayo has developed the Watts Empowerment Weight Room into a high-quality fitness space for the community. The facility includes top-of-the-line training equipment made possible through support from Markus "Notch" Persson (Minecraft), Kylie Jenner, Global Fitness, Bob Iger, and other community supporters. The Watts Weight Room reflects Mayo’s belief that physical strength, consistency, mentorship, and accountability can be powerful tools for personal growth.
Known for his hands-on leadership style, Mayo remains actively involved in day-to-day programming, youth mentorship, community events, and the continued expansion of the Watts Empowerment Center. His work reflects a commitment to making sure that young people in Watts have access to the same creative, athletic, educational, and professional opportunities available anywhere in Los Angeles.
For more than 20 years, Mayo has helped lead programs centered on academic support, sports, workforce readiness, food distribution, STEM education, performing arts, and safe spaces for young people. His work brings together volunteers, public agencies, educators, artists, athletes, entertainers, and community partners to create access and meaningful opportunity for families in historically underserved neighborhoods.
Mayo lead the development of the multi-million-dollar Watts Empowerment Film & Music Studio, a creative-access project designed to give young people hands-on opportunities in film, music, production, storytelling, and emerging media. The studio is built not only to provide professional resources and equipment, but to connect top industry talent with young people and aspiring creatives from the streets of Watts who are already putting in the work and building their own paths.
A longtime advocate for strength training, work ethic, and physical confidence, Mayo has developed the Watts Empowerment Weight Room into a high-quality fitness space for the community. The facility includes top-of-the-line training equipment made possible through support from Markus "Notch" Persson (Minecraft), Kylie Jenner, Global Fitness, Bob Iger, and other community supporters. The Watts Weight Room reflects Mayo’s belief that physical strength, consistency, mentorship, and accountability can be powerful tools for personal growth.
Known for his hands-on leadership style, Mayo remains actively involved in day-to-day programming, youth mentorship, community events, and the continued expansion of the Watts Empowerment Center. His work reflects a commitment to making sure that young people in Watts have access to the same creative, athletic, educational, and professional opportunities available anywhere in Los Angeles.
