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“Rising Tides” mural revealed at unveiling

By Darla Perez

A new public art mural unveiling at the Pacific Coast Campus will showcase an inspiring design by Indigenous and Chicano artists that focuses on issues of social justice and environmental change.

“Rising Tides” is the name of the mural which will pinpoint the different societies within the Indigenous communities. 

The work of the mural was inspired by their research into the history of Long Beach and its port, and goes into depth on displacement and Indigenous communities, with the struggles and achievements of marginalized groups.

The mural was also inspired by a central representation of a portrait of Dolores Huerta as a young activist who symbolizes unity and resilience during the Chicano civil rights movement alongside Cesar Chavez. 

Both Huerta and Chavez were the co-founders of the “United Farm Workers Association” which sought to empower migrant farm workers and to improve their wages and working conditions. 

The unveiling of the mural took place on Thursday, May 16, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., in the AA building corridor hallway at PCC.

The event was serving free food to all attendees which included pizza, drinks, and cookies.

During the event, LBCC student Alexander Vega was asked if he could speak at the event and he read a poem that he wrote about how the mural made him feel.

“The mural spoke to me in many different ways, but what stood out to me the most was the true meaning of the mural which was the different diversities among the community and cultures,” said Vega.

Oscar Marinades is part of the 3D collective who did all the finishing design work on the mural which included the clean up work before it got introduced to the wall. 

“I want students to know that art plays a big role in our life, it’s not something to be seen in a museum, it should play a vital role in our daily lives,” said Marinades.

LBCC students had the opportunity to choose the design for the murals out of 40 options and more artists whose theme was cultural identity.

The mural is now on display for the public at PCC, which brings out a sense of community, raises awareness about social issues and brings out the creativity of a powerful message.  

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