In the aftermath of January’s devastating Los Angeles wildfires, rebuilding isn’t just about structures—it’s about restoring spirit, unity, and a sense of place. That’s exactly what Crayon Collection and Habits of Waste set out to do with their project, Banners of Hope for Pacific Palisades. And when they needed a partner to bring their vision to life on the streets of Los Angeles, they turned to CR&A Custom.
CR&A Custom was honored to help tell this powerful story of resilience through a bold and meaningful street pole banner campaign, one that transformed LA’s public spaces into a vibrant message of hope, healing, and community strength.
Reclaiming the Streets With Art and Purpose
After the fires, Sheila Morovati, a proud Palisades local and resident of Pacific Palisades, saw a need in her community for color and spirit. The Banners of Hope initiative, spearheaded by Crayon Collection and Habits of Waste, was about more than just recovery. It was a creative movement to help students from the Palisades re-engage with joy, art, and community after trauma.
To spread this message beyond the walls of the school and into the heart of Los Angeles, Crayon Collection and Habits of Waste envisioned a series of beautifully designed street pole banners that would spark emotion and awareness. With themes of Pali Strong, Pali Love, and Pali Forever, these banners would reflect the emotional journey of the community and remind everyone who passed by that beauty and unity can rise from the ashes.
From Concept to City Streets
Turning that vision into reality took more than just another large format printing company. It took a dedicated partner with the ability to manage complex public installations with precision, speed, and care. That’s where CR&A Custom stepped in.
Our CR&A team collaborated closely with Crayon Collection and Habits of Waste to refine the designs, ensuring each banner conveyed the campaign’s heartfelt themes while also meeting city requirements for public pole displays. Each piece of artwork, each of them created by students from 11 Palisades schools, was carefully digitized, formatted for large-format printing, and prepared for manufacturing at our downtown LA production facility.
The result was a stunning collection of high-resolution street pole banners, each one printed on weather-resistant, durable vinyl using fade-resistant eco-solvent inks. But beyond the technical specs, every banner carried a story. Some were full of bright crayon rainbows. Others shared words of encouragement or illustrations inspired by love, family, and strength. Collectively, they became visual affirmations that something beautiful was being rebuilt.
Installation With Meaning
Because this project meant so much to the community, every part of our process was handled with extra care. Our installation team managed the permitting process with the City of Los Angeles, coordinated the placement of each banner, and scheduled installation to coincide with the launch of the broader Banners of Hope initiative.
CR&A has installed street pole banners for some of the world’s biggest brands, but this was different. As our crews lifted each banner into place, we knew we were helping tell a story that would be seen by parents walking their children to school, neighbors picking up groceries, and drivers commuting through the Palisades. These banners were markers of resilience.
A City-Wide Message of Love and Strength
The response was immediate and emotional. On social media, families and educators shared photos of the banners with captions like “Tears in my eyes” and “So proud of our school.” Community members posted videos of the installation with messages of gratitude and support.
One of the broadly shared clips came from this Crayon Collection Instagram reel, showing how deeply the banners resonated with people who had lived through the fires and witnessed their neighborhood’s recovery.
What started as a local campaign quickly became a city-wide symbol of community pride. The Pali Strong and Pali Love messages appeared not just in the Palisades but across social feeds and news stories, sparking conversations about how public art and messaging can play a vital role in collective healing.
Why This Project Mattered to CR&A Custom
At CR&A Custom, we take pride in seeing ourselves as LA’s partner in storytelling. This campaign was one of the most meaningful stories we’ve had the privilege to help tell.
From pre-press to print, finishing, installation to community response, this project reminded us of the power that thoughtful design and public art can have on the emotional landscape of a city. The Banners of Hope campaign is proof that even in the toughest times, creativity and collaboration can turn ordinary infrastructure—like a simple city light pole—into something inspiring.
Building Hope, One Banner at a Time
We’re grateful to Crayon Collection and all the partners who made this project possible. Their trust allowed us to bring art, emotion, and purpose to the streets of Los Angeles in a time when it was needed most.
As the banners continue to wave above the streets, we hope they serve as a reminder: Los Angeles is full of communities who care deeply, and when given the tools to share their message—whether that’s crayon drawings or wide-format vinyl prints—they can create something truly unforgettable.
Pali Strong. Pali Love. Always.
