” Art is a form of expression and joy that builds communities stronger, “ says Naomi Doherty, EHS alumni. Amaya Watson decided to do a mural for her Senior Project for the Black Student Union (BSU) club at Eureka High. They petitioned the Mural project which eventually evolved to include all cultural minority clubs. This project has grown over time to have an immense impact on the EHS community. The Mural Project was supposed “to give under-represented communities in Humboldt, via clubs at EHS, an artistic platform of recognition and self-representation,” (Doherty). 

However, it has become apparent that the process to approve the Murals by the ECS board has been exceedingly difficult. This week, I asked students, advisers, and teachers of EHS, about their perspectives on the situation surrounding the mural project’s approval.

In November of 2021, the official at their regular board meeting made the decision to reject the Mural Project after students had waited for half a year-long for its approval, some even already approving designs and have spoken to local artists. As Tim Olson said, Spanish Teacher & Latinx Club Advisor,“ [it was] basically [too] difficult [for the board] to come up with guidelines for [the different murals’] approval, location of [the] murals, upkeep, and the fact that some might feel like they could be controversial,”. It became apparent that this abrupt decision to reject the Mural Project was not going to be easily passed. Not only were the students who attend EHS significantly affected but the entire community around us. “When I heard the board's initial decision, I was confused, disappointed, and angry, probably in that order,” says Mauro Staiano, English Teacher & Youth Educating Against Homophobia (YEAH!) Club advisor. He elaborates how “I felt like the board had missed the point and missed the opportunity to do something positive for the whole community. The EHS Climate Committee, of which I am a member, and the entire school community have been working hard to improve our school climate for many years; this decision felt like it erased some of the positive progress we have made,“ (Mauro Staiano). 

Produced from the mixed feelings and passion they were feeling, members of our community spoke up wanting their voices heard.

Prior to the motion of banning the murals, Doherty had spoken to many of the organizations and programs in Humboldt County like The Ink People Center for the Arts, the Eureka Chapter of the NAACP, Humboldt Area Foundation, Epitome Gallery, HAPI (Humboldt Asian Pacific Islanders), students and faculty at HSU, local artists, and other community members about the mural project.

“I felt that my voice was heard from the organizations, businesses, and individuals I shared the project with. These organizations and individuals wrote letters and came out in support of the mural project at the Board meetings.”

Unfortunately, not everyone felt this way spreading awareness about the mural project and its potential for our community. 

While being heard from the community, “[Doherty] did not feel [her] voice, or others, were heard by the Board until the article came out in the Lost Coast Outpost by Jacquelyn Opalach,” which spoke about the boards mural banning motion. “The fact that there needed to be an explanation of what murals would mean to our students of color is sad,” Olson says, “41% of our student population at EHS are represented by the four clubs who are participating in the mural project. Another 9% are ‘mixed race’. That is 51% of our school population!”

“While I was unable to attend the first board meeting, my frustration [with] their[the boards] decision gave me the strength to write a personal statement that underlined what the mural project meant to me.” Jennifer Celio-Aburto said.

Jennifer Mervinsky implies, “My voice was definitely heard, at least by Susan Johnson, who called for a revote, since she was absent when the board rejected the mural at the meeting in November.”

The events that follow up into mid-January have changed the atmosphere surrounding the Mural Project.

On Thursday, January 13, 2022, the board meeting is passed thirty minutes after public comment, the majority speaking about the mural project and one of them being a statement spoken by Jennifer Celio-Aburto. After the other statements before, Jennifer’s was the one to bring us to the brink of tears. The motion to revise the policy and guidelines of the murals have been approved unanimously.

“I'm glad they are revisiting the policy,” Mauro said in response to the news, “I only wish it hadn't required controversy and public outcry.”

With news spread around about the motion to revise the policy and guidelines of the mural, there is hope rising for the minority clubs and for the positive outcome the murals can bring.

“Murals done well, will beautify our campus and showcase our diversity. They will give students a voice and be another small step in making campus a welcoming place for all our students, staff, and community members. If we take as examples community murals in places like San Francisco or even downtown Eureka, I simply cannot see how public art in this form can be anything but a net positive for EHS and the Eureka community.” Mauro Staiano said.

“[F]irst generation students are at loss here because most have immigrant parents who left their families behind. There are students who know little about their cultural heritage or don’t know how to speak their parent's language. But this project will allow students to feel included and to see their families' stor[ies] reflected in the mural. At least in our club, we plan to reflect our parents' stories, as immigrants, and our stories, as first generation, to create a visual of what the term Latinx means to us.” Jennifer expresses how the mural project will heavily impact our community throughout Humboldt County.

“For all the clubs who are currently working on murals, and for the clubs that want to make murals in the future, this is a way to be heard.” Doherty explains, “[t]his project invites all to be part of the conversation and celebration of the diversity in our community.”

*Photo of the AAPI club at EHS!