Mural design
CONCEPT
Based on the concepts of HEALING, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY and EMPOWERING, this mural represents the evolution and support given to youth throughout its growth. Highlighting 6 “chapters”, the mural shows different aspects: creative childhood and imagination, family support, group resilience, mutual care, community, and solidarity.
CHAPTER 1 – FIRST DREAMS
A child walks with her school backpack, spreading the symbols of her imagination. Like a bird, she extends her arms/wings, spanning her dreams around her. In the background, a subtle flower texture is repeated throughout the entire mural, integrating different parts of the wall.
CHAPTER 2 – TRUST
Picturing a traditional portrait, this family are wearing masks that represent important elements of their cultures, based on animals, carnivals, festivals. They are holding a big fire that floats in the middle illuminating them also representing the love and support family members give each other.
CHAPTER 3 – RESILIENCE
In the upper part, many young hands from ethnically diverse backgrounds are holding each other. This shows the power of being supportive, while enduring together and having the strength to overcome difficult situations. The sun to the right represents hope.
Below, a local school bus is riding along with different national birds (in the image, a Quetzal from Guatemala and a Golden Eagle from Afghanistan), showing the feeling of going forward, and moving freely towards a brighter future.
CHAPTER 4 – HEAL
A young hand touches an elder one, while a “healing light” appears in the middle. Plants grow from this interaction, enhancing the life that comes out of this encounter. This image also represents having people of all ages looking after each other.
CHAPTER 5 – UNITED WE ARE
A group of children from different backgrounds join in a hug, a cosmos surrounds them expanding the feeling of togetherness and union. The picture taken from above gives the sense of a joyful moment.
CHAPTER 6 – GROWTH
Finally, a teenager in a school uniform stands in front of the viewer, again, wearing an animal mask for an open interpretation of the audience. In the meantime, a young child doodles on the fabric of the adolescent’s uniform as if he was painting the wall.
In the background, a landscape of Oakland gives the mural its local context.
This imagery brings together the creativity that exists in the inner child within us, as well as the range of past experiences we have lived through the love and support of our communities. All these empowering experiences make us/our young protagonist ready to face the adventures of the big wide world.
