Recognizing Gilbert High School's Peace Wall Mural

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gilbert High School in Anaheim, California, for its collaboration with CITYarts' 50 States of Peace initiative to create a Peace Wall mural to be displayed on campus.

For the last 35 years, CITYarts has engaged students, art teachers, and professional artists to spread the message of peace through artistic expression in all 50 states of our nation. The Gilbert High School mural does just that.

The message, ``Respecting the Rights of Others is Peace,'' is interwoven with brilliant imagery and colors that fill a wall located at the campus entrance. This welcoming piece of art and powerful message of peace now greets students and staff who enter the campus each school day and is seen bv the hundreds of community members who visit the school's food pantry and resource center.

The Gilbert High School mural was commissioned to represent the State of California and was selected as number two in the 2024 CITYarts 50 States of Peace initiative. Gilbert High students worked with art teacher Janelle Frese and artist Jamie Kough throughout the creative process. After engaging in research, investigation, and collaboration around the idea of peace, the students created a design with imagery that was also inspired by discussions on social justice and participation in ethnic studies classes, art and music workshops, and school-wide civic engagement activities.

I invite my colleagues to join me in congratulating this cohort of student artists, as well as their teachers and mentors, for elevating their imaginations and creative talents into a piece of art that is literally art for peace.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source