Cambridge Youth Council Unveils New Mural at CRLS, Highlighting Cultures Often Overlooked in Cambridge

Last month, the Cambridge Youth Council (CYC) unveiled a new mural in the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS) Cafeteria. The goal of the mural is to highlight the value of diversity by visually depicting people from different cultures coming together, appreciating one another's company and enjoying the moment. “We wanted a mural which represented the broader Cambridge communities… especially ones that are often not represented as best in our school and the Cambridge community,” explains Abel Asefaw, CYC Co-Chair. 

The creative process to design and install the mural was about six months. CYC worked with artist Jack O’Hearn and started by holding focus groups with teens to ask how they felt their culture was or was not represented within the Cambridge community. The focus groups discussed the cultural images and references that should be incorporated into the project. Students explored how their identity as a Cambridge resident intersected with their ethnic and cultural identities. 

After the focus groups and visioning, teens worked with O’Hearn at the Community Art Center to project the illustrations and paint them onto three large panels. After getting support for the project from CRLS leadership, the 3-part mural was installed on pillars in the cafeteria in May.  

“A lot of the time there is an image of Cambridge that’s not actually representative of the full Cambridge and everyone who lives within it,” explains CYC member Lio Caravan. “I think the mural itself is a really good representation of what we wanted it to show.” 

Hundreds of CRLS students pass the mural as they enter and exit the cafeteria every day, and CYC hopes that seeing the many vibrant cultures that contribute to the Cambridge community will support students in feeling supported and represented.  

In addition to unveiling the mural, CYC created a short documentary about the experience. “The process of creating that end product makes that visualization even more important,” says Co-Chair Rehaan Anjaria.  

Watch the documentary below.  

The Cambridge Youth Council (CYC) is a subcommittee of the Family Policy Council. CYC is comprised of high school students who are dedicated to improving the lives of youth in Cambridge through social justice, education and community building.