CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- In the summer of 2020 Chicago artist Delilah Martinez founded The Mural Movement, a non-profit whose artists have now painted more than 116 murals in areas where there have been some sort of collective trauma.
They have volunteered mainly in the neighborhoods of Chicago, but they have murals in New York, Milwaukie, Indiana, in San Diego at 1835 Studios and now within a shelter near San Diego that is housing asylum seekers from other countries that have crossed over the southern border of the United States.
“We go into communities of need, such as Black and Brown communities. We like to bring dignity and shed light in dark areas where we feel it’s needed and wherever we can get permission to do a wall," Martinez said.
Over the weekend, her group along with artists from San Diego and Los Angeles were allowed to enter one of the shelters where children now await their next steps after entering the country, many of them have travelled for up to a year alone, with the shelter being their first introduction to the U.S.
“We wanted to give them some type of hope or inspiration and let them know that they are welcome, because there are people who aren’t so welcoming," Martinez said. “We also understand they took a long and dangerous journey to get here all in the hopes of gaining a better life. I feel like it’s my job to make people feel welcome, heard and supported.”
Martinez and a few other artists already had a relationship with the shelter before the pandemic, donating their time to provide art therapy to both adults and children. This previous relationship allowed her to feel comfortable calling and asking if The Mural Movement could do a project inside the facility.
“I’m really big into the news so I can kind of see where there is a call for our movement, especially in particular with the border crisis right now, with the separation of families and unaccompanied minors. I just felt the need to do something and the only thing I could think of was to try and bring some type of hope or beauty, smiles, or inspiration with art," Martinez said. “I always feel, honestly, powerless with the things that I see. I’m really good at organizing murals and organizing art projects, so I usually reach out when I see a need and check if we can come through and bless them with a mural.”
Prior to The Mural Movement’s trip to San Diego, they had also been collecting donations and took with them care packages for the children, which include crayons and coloring books. For the adults, the shelter supplied a list of specific needs such as baby diapers, toiletries, book bags, personal protection equipment, and flip flops.
“It’s a great thing we get to do this,” Martinez said, “but I struggle…I wish that we didn’t have to be here to do this.”
Outside the shelter, Martinez described a scene where there are sometimes hundreds of people picketing and sending un-welcoming messages.
Inside the Shelter
Martinez was willing to share photos of the shelter mural project, but out of respect for the families inside, the photos only show her group’s artwork.
She did however describe to WBBM Newsradio what she saw and the general mood of those housed there.
“These families have ankle monitors on, there are kids, and single parents. There are a large number of people crammed together. Children, who will be allowed to stay in the country under the Biden Administration, are still separated from their parents,” Martinez said.
She said that the indoor areas of the shelter where her mural is displayed are mostly filled with cots. The outside surrounding land is filled with public style bathroom facilities.
“The mood is actually really sad, usually when our collective goes into an area with a project, we will play music and pump people up, but this is not that kind of environment,” Martinez said. “The families look exhausted, you feel the energy of exhaustion and sadness. They are unaware of what will happen next...they are not free.
“The kids, they do have energy and are smiling,” she added, “but the adults and teenagers are very sad with low energy and their spirits are down.”
Martinez told WBBM Newsradio that there are no activities for the children outside, but that her group has been able to hold painting classes on the inside; something she said the adults seem to enjoy more than the kids.
“The kids were playing, they have a few toys,” Martinez said.
There are also babies at the shelter, a situation Martinez called uncomfortable, as there are volunteers who, she said, may have good intentions, but they will often grab and try to hold the babies and that the mothers fearing punishment for speaking up will remain silent as their baby is passed around.
The shelters are currently look for sponsors, reliable adults within the U.S., willing to provide temporary residency for the children until they are claimed.
“Many times when these children are travelling here alone, it’s because there is a family member here already who can claim them, but sometimes these family members are also undocumented so they fear coming forward," Martinez said.
Martinez ended the interview by saying, “it’s so sad, whatever I can do, I’m going to try.”
Delilah Martinez is the owner of Vault Gallerie, which is an artist collective in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood.
At the moment, a private donor will be matching every dollar donated to The Mural Movement over the next few months. Donations go toward mural projects and supporting artists with materials along with community engagement activities that employ youth.