MVP students unveil new mural aimed to bring hope at Brookdale Resource Center

On Tuesday, December 10, Mayor Lester Miller, students, and our community partners unveiled a new mural at the Hello House at the Brookdale Resource Center. This mural has been six weeks in the making thanks to a Macon Violence Prevention (MVP) grant.

"I hope when people see it, it gives them hope," said Taquhan Williams, a 9^th grader at Howard High School, who helped design and paint the mural.

Williams, Jordan Butts, Tilley Hall, and Malachi Forrest, who are all in the Men About Change program, worked with owner/founder of Mama Hawk Draws, Erin Hawkins, to repaint the Hello mural and paint a brand-new mural in the Hello House.

"When we started this journey, my goal was not only to teach these young people not just the technical steps of mural making, from brainstorming, to sketching, to talking to clients, to literally painting a wall," said Hawkins. "But also show them how art can transform a space and leave a lasting impact on our community."

The group designed a mural with the words "Stay Strong", as a reminder for those who stay at the Hello House to not lose faith although they may run into several obstacles.

They spent most of their Fall Break repainting the Hello Mural, and then worked on sketching, pitching, and creating a mural inside the Hello House.

"The Hello mural has become our cornerstone for all things Brookdale, brightening the entryway and serving as a constant reminder of our mission," said Brookdale Resource Director Alison Bender. "It is where we take photos and celebrate the successes of our residents and the program. Our hope for the new mural in the Hello House is to provide that same support and mentality for the people using that space."

"This will not only give hope to those who need a warm place to sleep at night, but this process helped a group of students along the way. I am so proud of them," said Mayor Lester Miller.

You can read more about this process here and here.