What began as a mere Denver vision has now come to life in Five Points. Vibrant colors are woven together on the side of Convivir Colorado’s brick exterior in the form of a freshly painted mural. It tells the story of American immigrant, refugee and first-generation youth.
“It was our vision,” Sebastian Chairez said, standing proudly in front of the mural.
“To be able to share it here downtown its incredible,” added Efren Saenz.
Chairez and Saenz are part of Convivir Colorado, a 6th-12th grade leadership program that encourages students to make a positive impact in their Colorado communities. Through a recent a five-week project, those students paired up with local muralist Diego Florez-Arroyo to conceptualize and paint the mural.
“It was beautiful hearing all these different experiences and ideas,” said Florez-Arroyo. “All the concepts came from the students then through synthesis and my own experiences, coming to a design that we could all agree with.”
The mural chronicles the past, present and future of the immigrant journey.
“It starts as Quetzalcoatl, the ancient serpent, into the crown of thorns of Jesus into the DNA and out in the flowers into the future,” Florez-Arroyo told CBS News Colorado’s Mekialaya White.
The artwork is designed to open minds and activate visitors’ imaginations, while empowering the next generation.
“Before I started this project, I was not confident in myself, but I (later) felt confident because I knew there were other immigrant and first generation families had been through a lot like my family,” said Simena Saucedo, who also helped with the project. “I am so grateful that (my family) did a lot of hard things like my dad went through a lot to get a job so I want to go to college so I can help them pay rent.”
You can check out the mural for yourself at 3264 Larimer Street Unit D in Denver.