Honoring a Century of Care: Kelly Jackson’s CAUW 100-Year Celebration Mural

CAUW 100th Year Mural by Kelly Jackson

When the Capital Area United Way (CAUW) marked its 100th year of service, it turned to local artist Kelly Jackson to help tell its story in color and form. The result is a striking new mural inside CAUW’s downtown Baton Rouge headquarters, at 700 Laurel St. Once the city’s first public library, this endeavor not only celebrates the organization’s century-long legacy but also reflects the evolving story of community care.

Bringing the Past into the Present

Jackson’s vision began with history. The building itself, constructed in 1939, carries the graceful geometry of Art Deco design. That era also happens to be when CAUW first emerged in Baton Rouge. “The inspiration to use an Art Deco-inspired design style for the background was born,” Jackson explains. The stylistic choice allows the mural to feel both timeless and deeply connected to the origins of CAUW.

Working within CAUW’s branded colors, Jackson stretched the palette through tinting, creating a vibrant background landscape that feels both expansive and harmonious. From there, she introduced vignettes, illustrated scenes that highlight the four pillars at the core of CAUW’s work: Financial Stability, Community Resilience, Health and Wellbeing, and Youth Programs. Each vignette becomes a window into the lives touched by the organization’s mission, while a depiction of the 10 parishes CAUW serves grounds the piece in Louisiana’s unique landscape.

A Building with Stories to Tell

The mural also nods directly to the building itself. “I love libraries so much,” Jackson says. “When I found out this was going inside a historic building that was Baton Rouge’s first public library, it felt like an honor to have the opportunity, especially having been born and living here my entire life.”

One of her most intentional choices was to place the Youth Programs vignette at the top, beside the library, showing an adult and child reading together. In that quiet but powerful image, Jackson tied the building’s past role as a hub of knowledge and imagination to CAUW’s current role in shaping brighter futures for young people.

Honoring a Legacy of Service

For Jackson, the mural is more than decorative. It is a storytelling canvas. Each vignette celebrates tangible impacts, like CAUW’s VITA program, which has helped nearly 7,000 residents file their taxes and brought more than $7.8 million back into Louisiana. “Every single pillar has just as huge of an impact on our community,” she says. Even the centennial logo found its way into the design, paired with the CAUW logo in a way that Jackson says evokes infinity—a fitting metaphor for an organization that has been here for a hundred years and plans to continue shaping lives for countless more.

Hidden Surprises and Happy Accidents

While the mural is rich with intentional symbolism, it also holds some unplanned surprises. During the color-blocking stage, Jackson’s father stopped by to help and asked what color he should paint the train. “I was so confused because I hadn’t drawn a train… yet, I did!” she recalls with a laugh. The abstract, geometric background had accidentally created the shape of a train, a reminder of how art often reveals more than the artist intends.

A Personal Connection

For Jackson, the project was as emotional as it was artistic. She describes feeling aligned with CAUW’s mission and grateful for the chance to contribute. “It feels so good to work with organizations like this. I love my community and am an active member, and I really respect and admire the work they’re doing.”

She also found herself reflecting on the continuity of history. While painting, she noticed a mural commemorating CAUW’s 75th anniversary painted 25 years earlier. “That kinda hits hard,” she says. “The idea of another artist who was called to this same job 25 years before, and that there may be another one in 25 more years. It’s a magical feeling of being woven into the history of a place like this.”

Community Moments Along the Way

The mural’s creation wasn’t without drama. On her very first day, Jackson arrived to find the bottom floor of the building flooded. Instead of derailing the project, the event became an opportunity to meet staff and contractors who were pitching in to salvage items and restore the space. “We had a happening little day that first day, and everyone was so helpful and positive and got it done,” she remembers. Those spontaneous connections mirrored the very spirit of CAUW: people coming together to support one another in the face of challenges.

A Partnership Built on Trust

Jackson also credits The Walls Project for making the process seamless. “My experience working with The Walls Project is like it always is—amazing. Every step of the process is enjoyable. The communication is exceptional. They’re GREAT PEOPLE who are also doing GREAT THINGS for our community.”

A Celebration in Paint

In the end, the CAUW centennial mural is more than a work of art. It’s a layered tribute: to the resilience of a community, the roots of a historic building, and the infinite legacy of care that CAUW represents. Through bold shapes, symbolic vignettes, and unexpected details, Jackson has created a work that honors the past while envisioning the future—a century marked in color, and a community reflected in every brushstroke.