Verde Elementary School Murals

Welcome to the very first point on this map! You are standing in front of the Verde K-8 School, which serves students of the North Richmond neighborhood. Have a look at the vibrant mural on the front wall of the school (you may want to come closer) - "Reaching for the Stars".

The artistic scene uses motifs from Indigenous art and celebrates the rich history of North Richmond. To this day, the neighborhood has a diverse community, and the majority of the school's population is Latinx (85%) and Black (10%).

The artwork was created by the Muralist Fred Alvarado. In an interview, Alvarado explained that the mural came to life with the help of Verde PTA and students. Verde PTA and Alvarado hosted creative workshops where students came up with ideas and themes for the murals, so what you see is a result of everyone's ideas!

The installation took place in 2020 and was funded through a Neighborhood Public Art Grant from the Richmond Arts & Culture Commission. The project includes three mural segments: "Bridging the Gap", "Reaching for the Stars," and "North Richmond Community". Alvarado created additional murals inside the school, including “Incredible Growth," celebrating the rich history of the neighborhood, "To the Moon and Back", and "Vision".

What stories and themes can you identify when looking at the mural?