Boards For
Change BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT RAISES FUNDS FOR YOUTH IN VULNERABLE CITY NEIGHBORHOODS
Boards For Change connects local artists with boarded-up businesses in Sacramento to support Black Lives Matter and create a community beautification project.
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ekter Juice Bar owner Kimberly Prince, ABC10 sports reporter Lina Washington and artist Shannan O’Rourke have launched Boards For Change, an artistic initiative to cover the plywood boards in business windows in Midtown and Downtown with imagery by local artists. Following demonstrations sparked by the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, Prince was contemplating the boards in Nekter’s window. She thought the plywood would make a great canvas for artwork supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. Washington and O’Rourke got involved, and now dozens of businesses are hiring local artists of color to paint their boards with inspiring images and messages of hope. Artists include Noelle Tavares, Paris Draper and renowned performance painter David Garibaldi. Washington created a GoFundMe page with the goal of raising $2,000 to donate to local Black youth organizations. But as of late-July, the page had reached nearly $14,000, with a new goal of $20,000.
JL By Jessica Laskey Out & About
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“In less than two weeks, Boards For Change exploded from being a little idea among friends to a movement gaining national attention,” Washington says. “It’s all thanks to our friends and community members in Sacramento and beyond that we will be able to make a difference through monetary donations to local Black youth organizations in Sacramento.” Once the boards are removed, the women plan to auction off the artwork to raise even more money for organizations helping youth in vulnerable Sacramento neighborhoods. Boards For Change is partnering with Sacramento Republic FC to display 20 to 30 of the completed boards in the empty seats at Papa Murphy’s Park (where the USL team plays) prior to the online auction. The auction will include the boards, as well as custom cleats donated by Sac Republic players and customized wearable art pieces. To donate or for more information, find “Boards For Change - Sacramento” on gofundme.com and follow @ BoardsForChange on Instagram.
WATER FOR HOMELESS In June, Bonney Plumbing, Electrical, Heating & Air partnered with Markstein Beverage Co. to deliver 92,000 bottles of water to Sacramento Loaves & Fishes to help people experiencing homelessness during the hot summer months.
