COMMUNITY NEWS
Unity Coming to Cabrillo College
Alum Francisco Alonso Painting Mural on Campus
O
n Aug. 2, Watsonville artist Fran- and Extended Opportunity Programs and cisco Alonso began painting a huge Services, and helped establish a MECHA Latinx-inspired mural at Cabrillo program for Chicano students to bring educational and cultural events focused on College in Aptos. The mural is going up on a campus healing and overcoming racism. In addition to having lived in Santa elevator tower just beyond the Martin Luther King bust. Students are expected to Cruz County, Alonso has resided in participate in the project, which will likely and traveled across the Americas, and his mural design integrates imagery take a month to complete. “I am honored to have been selected to that represents ancestral wisdom and paint this mural, which I am titling “Unity,” knowledge. “Our committee reviewed a total of said Alonso. “I started at Cabrillo College working as a dishwasher in the cafeteria 11 excellent proposals from local artists, and with the encouragement of faculty and ultimately narrowing it to a top five and staff, followed my lifelong passion for art sending those five out to Cabrillo’s student and mural painting and took art courses body for input,” said Claudia Hernandez, at Cabrillo, eventually transferring to San Cabrillo academic counselor and member Francisco State University and earning of Cabrillo’s Chicano Latino Affairs my B.A. in art. Since then, I’ve traveled Council. “The timing of this project and around the world painting murals. I love the message of “Unity” conveys a positive Cabrillo, and the opportunity to contribute vision and an important message.” n my artwork to the school that’s given me ••• so much really brings it full circle.” For more information, visit https://www. The mural, commissioned by Cabrillo cabrillo.edu/title-v/the-mural-project/. and funded by funded by a grant from the Cabrillo College Foundation and the Associated Students of Cabrillo College, is part of the college’s ongoing efforts to promote its diversity and celebrate its Hispanic Serving Institution status. In May, for the first time in the college’s history, 50% of the graduating class identified as Latinx. The goal is to foster a greater sense of belonging among its diverse student body, celebrating Latinx culture and centering Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and their racial, cultural, and linguistic ways of living and knowing. Staff, faculty, and students reviewed an array of applicants, and Cabrillo leadership selected the artwork proposed by Alonso, a mural artist who attended Cabrillo in the 1990s. As a student, Alonso Winning design by Cabrillo College alum Francisco Alonso. was involved in Puente Image shows planned location.
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