09 EBAC
Location: Oakland – California. 2022
Artist: Sasha Reisin
Commissioner: EBAC – East Bay Agency for Children
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, these family members are holding masks that represent important elements of their cultures, based on animals, carnivals, festivals. They in front of a big fire, illuminating them and 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 image shown from above gives the sense of a joyful moment.
CHAPTER 6 - GROWTH
Finally, a teenager stands in front of the viewer, while a young child doodles on the fabric of the adolescent’s shirt 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 and our young protagonist ready to face the adventures of the big wide world.