ABC Community Hub's Rebirth -- Youth-Based Mural w/ YAASPA
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
Local muralist Juls Mendoza pulled off something remarkable: the wall at YAASPA's ABC CommunityHub was primed on Monday and had a finished, unveiled mural by Friday. Working under a tight deadline didn't mean working alone. Juls partnered with YAASPA's art apprentice (London in the bottom left photo) throughout the week, turning the project intohands-on mentorship as much as a mural. The result is a piece the whole hub can be proud of.
Over the course of one month, The Walls Project partnered with YAASPA to dream what a physical transformation could look like at the ABC Community Hub. We felt a community-led mural that included the summer camp students would allow the input and voice needed to kick start this transformation. Beginning with YAASPA's pillars of social determinants of health, The Walls secured Juls to draft potential murals. The students and staff of YAASPA gave direct and insightful feedback.
From there, The Walls team helped prime the wall on Monday morning, the Juls and London sketched out the entire mural. Then on Wednesday and Thursday over the course of two hours each day, dozens of students came to help paint the mural.
For further background, the once-shut down Paris Elementary School in Aurora was re-imagined and opened with a new purpose to become the ABC Community Hub. It now hosts 12 local nonprofits benefiting the local youth. The Walls Project was fortunate to be apart of the first phase of it’s physical transformation. This project came to life thanks to Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation and the amazing people at YAASPA.
Meet the Muralist:
Juls Mendoza
Juls Mendoza is an artist whose work explores themes of Cultural Identity, Community, and Social Justice. Passionate about story telling and connecting communities through art, Juls is dedicated to amplifying voices and celebrating cultural narratives. He collaborates with organizations, businesses, and non-profits to bring their visions to life through a variety of artistic mediums, including large-scale murals, vibrant paintings, and digital illustrations. Through his art, Juls aims to inspire dialogue, foster unity, and create meaningful connections within the communities he serves.
Visit Juls' Website to learn more about her: https://www.julsmendoza.com/
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