About this project

Artists Dionne Bonner, Kenya Adams, Gwen Jones, and Charles Taylor planned the creation of the Black Lives Matter mural in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Additional artists Breyahna Monet and Danielle Jordan joined the project in the second phase and helped complete the mural painting project.

The reason for creating this mural was to celebrate the achievements and contributions of African Americans throughout history. The goal of this project was to draw from Tacoma’s history and imagined futures. The Artwork was painted directly on the concrete of the Tollefson plaza during the summer of 2022.

The Black Lives Matter movement has sparked a local and global outcry to protect Black lives, end police brutality and tackle institutionalized racism in all forms and professions. As a result, the Human Rights Commission's Racial Justice and Equity Committee proposed creating a mural to signify that the City of Tacoma supports Black lives and the Black Lives Matter movement.

In partnership with the Tacoma Arts Commission and Tacoma Art Museum, a BLM mural will be installed in Tollefson Plaza by June 30, 2022. 

The Black Lives Matter movement, like the civil rights movements before it, has effectively articulated the injustices that exist nationally and locally at the intersections of race, class, and gender including mass incarceration, police brutality, poverty, unaffordable housing, income disparity, homophobia, gender inequality, poor access to healthcare, and educational outcomes. This mural will encourage Tacoma residents to recognize the plight suffered by people of color to obtain equality while at the same time continuing to challenge us to persevere in unity toward racial justice.

These are some of the ways people got involved with this project:

• Attended public virtual or in-person events and participated in activities*

• Shared this website with their networks

• Displayed BLM Mural Project Tacoma posters at their businesses or organizations

• Volunteered to help during the mural painting and installation* (info table, cleaning brushes, community painting activity, photography, etc.)