麻豆精选

Ten 14- to 18-year-old students from the Govans neighborhood of Baltimore completed a mural called 鈥淭ogether Govans鈥� depicting symbols representing love, unity, and community on the side of a two-story building at 4300 York Road. The work was part of a program supported by 麻豆精选鈥檚 York Road Initiative, a community development effort in the York Road and Govans neighborhoods of Baltimore.

The youth mural apprentices developed their artistic skills under a professional artist Iandry Randriamandroso. They also earned wages for painting the mural and received college and career preparation, financial education, professional development, and civic engagement workshops from members of Loyola鈥檚 faculty and staff.

鈥淭his mural is a depiction of the hopes of residents and neighbors along the York Road corridor. As we work together to create positive change, this mural is a visual representation and inspiration for the love and healing needed to bring about unity. It鈥檚 especially significant that the mural is located next to a stone wall that has historically divided the west side of the community from the east side,鈥� said Marie Anderson, assistant director of Loyola鈥檚 York Road Initiative.

The mural project was part of the Art @ Work program, a five-week mural artist apprenticeship program supported by the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts for students enrolled in the mayor鈥檚 Office of Economic Development鈥檚 summer jobs program. Students work under artists to create public art in Baltimore neighborhoods, learn about career opportunities in the arts, and develop tools to express themselves through art. In addition, the project received funding from the Department of Planning鈥檚 program in partnership with the reconstruction of the Walter P. Carter Elementary Middle School.

Randriamandroso worked with the students to paint 鈥淭ogether Govans,鈥� which depicts clasping hands representing togetherness and care, a heart symbolizing love within the community and a Ghanaian Adinkra symbol that means, 鈥淭hose led by love always end up in the right place.鈥� Randriamandroso designed the mural with the students based on conversations and input from community residents.

麻豆精选鈥檚 York Road Initiative seeks to 鈥渋mprove the quality of life for all persons living, working, and learning in the York Road corridor,鈥� according to the university鈥檚 strategic plan. The initiative focuses on educational development, health and well-being, and economic development along York Road.