Three New Murals Bloom in Our Peace Garden

A close up look of one student’s inspiration board.

This summer, Christian trap music filled the room as artist Damon Lamar Reed taught our students the art of collage. The kids flipped through stacks of magazines, cutting out words and images that reflected what they wanted for their future and for the future of their community.

Their answers took shape on the page: bold headlines, faces that inspired them, words like health and relief, a golden heart, and one hand-lettered message that said it simply: Bless the West.

Those collages became the foundation for three new murals. On paint day, volunteers from Prince of Peace Lutheran Church worked side by side with our students and volunteers to bring their ideas onto the panels. Damon then took the pieces back to his studio for finishing touches before installing them in our Peace Garden.

Students standing with their inspiration board designs for the mural project.

On a beautiful fall evening, we gathered with families, neighbors, and community leaders for the reveal. Melonie, Community Arts Director, opened by reminding us how art builds connection, pride, and community, and Reverend James Brooks helped us unveil the murals.

We are grateful to Melonie and Cocoa for guiding this project, to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church for showing up for our community, to the parents and community leaders for their support, and to Reverend James Brooks for helping us mark the moment. And thank you to Damon Lamar Reed for his intentional, reflective, and uplifting artwork that will continue to brighten our space.

“We dedicate this mural to the children and families of our community. May it remind every child who sees it that their ideas matter, their creativity matters, their voice matters, and they have the power to leave something beautiful behind.”

A student poses with a mural that features an image of him and says “health, growth, relief, complete, balanced, pain, loss, and self-criticism.”