Lawanda Baker and Somaya Singh, the winners of the Juneteenth Mural Contest, were at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute on June 18 to create a mural outside of the facility. “Map to Freedom” is an homage to the African American tradition of quilt-making and specifically honors the creativity of the Gee’s Bend quilters. Materials were available for kids to create their own images of what freedom means to them.
The mural was part of a day long Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom event that included the opening of the exhibition “Hope in Motion: The Story of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights.” This exhibition focuses on one pivotal year -1956 – in the struggle for civil and human rights in Alabama.
Also, there was Galleries Alive! by the Real Life Poets, a non-profit community service and mentoring organization focusing on mentoring young adults, encouraging good communication, and oratorical skills using spoken word poetry and the arts.
( photos by Stephonia Taylor Mclinn )
