One mural, one message and one collaboration at a time

The CCWF Mural project started in 2022 with formerly incarcerated persons Angela Zuniga and Sheila Sikat at the helm.

“The vision started with livening up the dark tunnel for those on their way to BPH,” explained Vegas Bray, institutional muralist. In coordination with inside residents and staff, murals started to appear throughout the institution.

One special place a mural appeared, and for a special reason, was the Board of Parole Hearings (BPH) waiting area tunnel. Being the walls were previously bare, one had to sit on a bench, anxiously waiting and stressing for their name to be called for their day of judgement. Now when residents go to BPH, they see words of inspiration and brightly colored pictures, including a tiger and a meditative woman with butterflies around her.

“It is not a solitary effort, it is a shared responsibility. By fostering an environment of encouragement and inspiration, we take meaningful steps towards building a system that prioritizes transformation over punishment,” Zuniga said.

When asked what the biggest challenge was when painting the murals located on the facility yards, the muralists all agreed it was supplies.

If one can imagine three walls the length of two football fields each that the residents would love to paint. Two of those walls are black in color. The mixing of the primary colors they receive takes up most of the paint.

“Creating is hard work, getting that perfect color is also hard,” Maria Alaniz said.

Another huge challenge is the weather. One day it’s sunny and artists chalk a lot of pictures for the painters to paint; the next day it rains and washes the chalk away.

Dawn Godman recently appeared before BPH for a parole suitability hearing. When asked about the murals, she said, “They helped me relax, ground and center myself before board, which helped decrease my anxiety level. I could look at something I found beautiful and inspirational.”

Each yard has their own ideas and visions for their wall. B Facility is culture and inclusion, C Facility is inspiration and motivation, while D Facility is indecisive. For the residents on D Facility, there is a great piece of art to start a journey, it is up to the facility to keep the momentum and create the world around them.

“We want to bring light and inspiration and provide a positive and uplifting space for those trying to change their life,” Lila Alligood said. “Paint looks good outside of the room too,” Alaniz said.

Lynne Acosta from Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC) described how she sees moods change when seeing the beautiful colors of the murals. There are varying descriptions when it comes to what these murals can do for one’s soul or represent in one’s heart.

The sentiment on D Facility is that one butterfly is just not enough, they want and need something more. Residents on B and C Facility, however, sometimes use the murals as backdrops on picture day, a meditative space, or conversation starter with staff and other residents.

The muralists’ next vision is to invite staff artists to come and sketch out some art and paint with the residents. In the coming year it is the hopes that more residents will join the small group of dedicated muralists and painters.

As we see this awesome endeavor continue to shape and turn a dull place into a vibrant, awe inspiring, make you want to get up each day space, it is important to remember that we all contribute in some small way to making our environment a better place to live.

While we are here, it would benefit residents to take full advantage of self-help programs, workshops, and practice self-care. Try something new, start a new hobby, join team “community.”