Coming soon: A 3-story mural painted by city’s youth

Next Saturday June 4th [not Monday June 6th as previously — erroneously — reported] will see the unveiling of Berkeley’s freshest mural, a collaborative effort by Berkeley City College students and teenagers from the city’s recently opened YMCA-PG&E Teen Center.

It will also be one of the city’s largest murals. Work has been ongoing on the three-story piece –which is on an interior stairway that faces MLK Way at the Teen Center —  for weeks.

The mural is an initiative of The True Colors Mural Project, a Berkeley City College class, and was designed with Berkeley teens from the Teen Center’s AMP council. The project was lead by Juana Alicia Arazia and her assistant Cece Carpio and is sponsored by Berkeley City College and Earth Island Institute.

This artwork is described as depicting “a world that faces environmental, social and moral challenges, while expressing the dreams and hopes of a young generation as they prepare to become the future leaders and guardians of this planet.”

The True Colors Mural Project recruits, engages and employs under-served, at risk youth from Berkeley and the greater East Bay and trains the young artists to design and create community murals with social and environmental justice themes. Recent mural projects include “Visions of Peace and Justice” at Inkworks Press, and “Vivir Sin Fronteras/Living Without Borders” at Mi Tierra Foods Market in west Berkeley.

The inauguration of the Teen Center mural, which is open to the public, is being planned as a lively celebration and will include music by Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble, traditional Aztec Dancing of Cuahtli Mitotiani, True Colors Student’s Art Exhibition, Spoken Word & Poetry, DJ Skrypt and many other performances.  The True Colors Mural project will also serve special culinary delights.

The inauguration is on Saturday June 4, 1-4pm, at 2111 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. All are welcome.