Let’s Open the Door, Los Angeles

Pop-up doors in Los Angeles

Everyone deserves a decent place to call home. For 50 years, Habitat has been turning that mission into reality by helping millions of people around the world build, improve or finance their homes.  

Today, we’re building on that momentum. 

We’re popping up in 10 cities worldwide with an art installation of 10 doors, each featuring work from local artists and real homeowner stories. 

Together, they represent what’s possible with a safe, decent foundation. 

Deja Brown | Featured artist

I moved around a lot growing up. My family didn’t settle into what felt like a “forever home” until I left for college. Because of that, I became very aware of how a home reflects the people living in it — not just through decoration, but through what is used, left behind and shared. Similar to a well-used book, an active house develops its own personality over time. 

In between moving from place to place, I noticed that each home was defined by small, everyday details. The theme inspired me to consider what you could learn about a home simply by observing the condition of its space and what objects were present. This curiosity inspired me to focus my artwork on a refrigerator. 

My approach to this theme was easy to conceptualize because the fridge was modeled after my family’s actual refrigerator, allowing viewers to interpret and build a story from what they see. I chose a fridge because it holds many personalities in one small space, with items like strawberry jelly, baby food and coffee representing different family members, habits and stages of life.  

I also included moments of togetherness, such as a half-eaten birthday cake, and items that reflect daily life, like a father’s long shift at work or a child’s first day at school, to show shared experiences and different days. I began with a draft of the layout to reflect how items can become cluttered, then created the final piece through digital illustration to show how something ordinary can tell a meaningful family story. 

Home, to me, is defined by the people in it rather than the location itself. Growing up in an unstable environment taught me that home was wherever my sisters and mother were, regardless of the surroundings. Because of this, I see a home as a place filled with elements that show proof of life, connection and care. I believe everyone deserves to have a place they can call home — not just physically, but emotionally 

Find Deja on Instagram at @dejadoodlesart or visit her website.

U.S. Bank | Featured partner