This mural is dedicated to people of the
immediate community who have been victims of violence. It was
designed by an all-women crew of four artists - one was twelve and
three were thirteen. The names of the victims are on the wall and
the wall serves as a functional altar for the surrounding
community. Flower holders are mounted onto the wall so that
residents are able to remember and memorialize loved ones.
Several years back, after the violent deaths of Charles “Chucky”
Hernandez, neighborhood teens sprayed painted a mural on this same
wall, in loving memory to Chucky. After a year, that mural was
painted over. The neighborhood wanted to continue the memory of
Chucky and others who have died of violence in this barrio but the
goal was to do it by presenting an image that would make people
think of the idea of peace when confronted with violence. The crew
thought of happy scenes: the park, friends who support one another,
religious symbols that give us strength, the idea of Our Lady of
Guadalupe being active in our lives. The ideas came together in the
mural you see today.
More information at
San Anto Cultural Arts archive.