Graffiti stops after mural goes up
Ray Hagar
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL


Officials at Pine Middle School in Reno report a reduction in graffiti at the school since this mural was painted by Los Todos Unidos, a local youth group. Photo taken Thursday, Sept. 15, 2005.

A miracle over a mural has occurred at Pine Middle School, custodian Miguel Ahumada says.

Since the youth group Todos Unidos painted a mural on a back wall of the school more than two weeks ago, graffiti taggers have stopped vandalizing the school.

"I was getting graffiti left and right, every day," Ahumada said. "And now that the mural is there, there is no longer any graffiti anywhere at the school."

The mural depicts key points of Hispanic history and culture, including a likeness of fabled labor leader Cesar Chavez, Aztec emperor Montezuma II, the Aztec god of corn Centeotl, and an 1846 map of Mexico showing that Nevada and California were once part of that nation.

"The kids see something like the mural, and they respect the whole building," Ahumada said. "It is amazing and beautiful. I have more respect for the kids now because they have shown respect to my building."

Students are respectful of the mural because they respect Hispanic culture, some students said.

"It brightens things up," said seventh-grader Francisco Garcia, 12. "It helps so people won't be racist. I know about Cesar Chavez, read some things. He's like a hero. He helped talk to white people so they would not be racist."

About 15 people contributed to the concept and the painting, although the main artist was Sparks High student Eduardo Torres, said Dawn Adams, an English language learner teacher who helped coordinate the project.

"Everything in it is part of our culture," Torres said. "It makes me happy and proud to show what my culture is all about."

The youthful artists were awarded a $500 grant from the Nevada State Education Association to paint the mural, Adams said. Before painting, the artists asked their parents and community leaders what they would like to see in the mural and took their advice, Adams said.

"It has helped bridge the generation gap that we've had," Adams said.

With that feedback, the artists felt it was important to include the god of corn.

"That crop gave life to a lot of people," Adams said.

The 1846 map of Mexico is important to show Hispanic students that this is their land, too, Adams said.

"The kids get a lot of comments like, 'Oh, look at all these immigrants, or Mexicans don't belong here,' " Adams said. "They thought that it was important to show that Mexicans have been here a lot longer than just recently. They have been here longer than a lot of white settlers."

The mural was dedicated earlier this week to Tom Stoneburner, former leader of the Alliance of Workers Rights and a voice for the working poor. Stoneburner, 59, died in February of a heart attack.

"He was the one who wanted us to paint the mural in the first place," Torres said. "He's not here anymore, so we dedicated it to him."