Diversity Mural Project
by M. Murphy | Monday, Dec 03, 2018
The Diversity Platform, Student Government and the Homecoming planning committee made history this year with the initiative of the Diversity Mural Project. About 50 students, faculty and staff came together during homecoming week with artists from Unconventional, LLC to paint a Diversity Mural.
"The Community Mural Project was proposed by FAU’s Diversity Platform Council a fter receiving feedback from faculty, staff and students that there were no “physical” depictions of diversity on campus. The Diversity Platform partnered with Student Government to offer this opportunity to students, faculty, staff, and alumni during Homecoming. The actual project was led by myself with representation from the diversity platform (Fabio Rojas), the student body President (Kyle MacDonald), Student Activities and Involvement (Donald VanPelt) and input from faculty, staff, students, SAS, Center for IDEAs, and The Office of Equity, Inclusion and Compliance."
- Dr. Andrea Guzman Olliver
The mural features a rose in three stages of growth, people helping one another, a graduation cap and book. In the middle panel through the rose vines you will find a valley with the sun behind palm and pine trees, a river with the word diversity and a burrowing owl along side it. This river flow up and around the figures of people, book and graduation cap.This mural is located at the end of the breezeway nearest the Campus Recreation and Fitness Center. It is being proposed that this area be called Diversity Plaza.
The artist is Marlon Pruz, a local muralist. This piece is called Blossoming."Flowers blossom, reflecting the never- ending journey of life, beauty and love. Yet, much nourishment is needed to arrive at this state of flourishing. Flowing from of the depths of Florida's ecosystem, guided by the Burrowing Owl, water enables flourishing. It is the basis of physical life. This design, however, goes beyond the physical and aligns water with diversity -- a state of being that enables intellectual, emotional and spiritual achievement.Figures in the foreground each reflect a distinct type of flourishing that relies on both water and diversity to give nourishment. These fundamental elements coalesce to bring the human and natural experience to their ultimate state of achievement."
- Marlon Pruz