South Pasadena Black Lives Matter Mural

History and Purpose: We began the process of commissioning a BLM mural in June 2020 in the aftermath of the police murder of George Floyd, which spurred national BLM protests. We wanted to capture the spirit of this movement for anti-racist change through public art in the heart of our City. This mural serves as a celebration of the strength, diversity, pride, beauty, and intersectionality of the Black community and diaspora. We also hope this art serves as an educational resources for community members to learn about Black history, as well as a reminder to community members to continue anti-racist work.

This mural is brought to you by artist Zach Brown and the SPHS Anti-Bias Club.

The Anti-Bias Club is a school club of SPHS formed in 2019 by students who attended an anti-bias training from the Anti-Defamation League. The club's main goal is to promote inclusivity, diversity, and acceptance, both at school and in the broader community. It is open to all students of SPHS. Some other projects we are currently working on include making a website with LGBTQ+ inclusive sex-ed resources and presenting on a range of inclusive and anti-bias topics to students at Monterey Hills Elementary School.

Zach Brown is a 35-year-old Los Angeles-based artist, performer, teacher, and activist who believes in the power and purpose of art to grow our capacity for understanding and empathy in the world and is dedicated to using his talents as an act of service to his community. Zach is passionate about social justice and holds the conviction that the creation of art is vital to the progress of anti-racist work, the social evolution of our country and even the survival of our species.
Zach has worked on a variety of artistic projects over the years including: public art works projects for the city of Glendale and Montrose, years of experience painting professional stage sets for theatrical productions, working as a storyboard artist for film and television, creating illustrations for web comics and children’s books, as well as working as a freelance portrait and memorial artist. He has also had the honor of being an invited guest artist by The California African American Museum to perform and paint live for their MLK day celebrations.
Aside from being an accomplished visual artist Zach is also a seasoned teacher with more than 15 years experience in arts education. He currently works with and holds the title of Master Teaching Artist with the Unusual Suspects Theatre Company, a non-profit organization that provides arts education for incarcerated teens and youth, and families in underserved communities of color across L.A.

You can learn more and see some of Zach’s work on his website at www.Zachbart.com, or follow him on Instagram @art_on_my_sleeve

Land Acknowledgement

We want to recognize that this mural and the entire city of South Pasadena resides on land stolen from the Tongva people, called Tovaangar. Tongva people continue to take care of this environment and practice their culture, which has become increasingly difficult because of urbanization and the destruction of native land. We hope to use our platform and privilege to increase recognition for the Tongva and encourage community members to be allies to Indigenous people. To learn more about the Tongva you can watch this panel with a Tongva artist and read these resources. Please visit this website to find out whose Native land you inhabit.