Unveiling of the Freedom Rising Mural
Beautiful sunshine graced the unveiling of our outdoor mural entitled “ Freedom Rising”. The project took about 2 months to complete and involved participants from the Art from the Heart Program – approximately 75 individuals – including volunteers and staff to create the vibrant mural under the guidance of artist facilitator, Chris Zonta.
The ideation of the mural was a collaboration of CEO, Rifath Khan, Chris Zonta, and the staff. The theme, Freedom is reflected in an icon of a bird, the focal point of the mural. Individuals are celebrated in the richly textured flowers that surround the words, reflecting the vision of the center: diversity, respect, dignity, growth, and choices. Choices are at the core of everything at The Douglas Center. It’s why our participants choose The Douglas Center for their day program.
“Each flower, star or mandala represents an individual” reflected Chris Zonta at the unveiling.
The artwork is permanently installed on the ramp that leads to The High Fives Adapted Sports Recreation Area. A space made possible by a grant from the Coleman Foundation and Field Foundation.
Thank you to all the board members, friends and supporters of the Douglas Center that were in attendance for the unveiling. A special thank you to Mike Isaacs at Pioneer Press their article about the unveiling.
The event was well received by friends and board members. Linda Cordero expressed the meaning of the piece before the group entered the recreation area for the unveiling. The DC Singers belted out the song "You Got a Friend in Me" to commemorate the event.
Be sure to check out our Facebook page for videos on the process.