“This new found power inspired Serenity to do even more to help the community. She traveled from one Oakland neighborhood to another restoring the city’s parks. As time went by other people started to take notice. They felt happier and were proud of where they lived. Since the citizens of Oakland now had pride for where they lived, they started to litter less. Even crime was lessened. Living in trashy conditions no longer frustrated citizens because the city was now clean and the people of Oakland were happy.”
The Unveiling
The Process
The Visionaries/Conceptual Designers
Westlake Middle School Village
After-School Program Students
- Breanna Andrus
- Amada Mendoza
- Ashanti Williams
- Nailiah Williams
- Carmen Hernandez
- Kristy Lim
- Aniya Rivers
- Saron Akalu
- Jennifer Avila
- Betsy Fikir
- Malissa Aguilar
- Erica Luong
- Leilani Sears
- Isane Smith
Lead Artist
The Lead Artist: Senay “Refa” Dennis
For well over two decades, Oakland California native Refa One has been instrumental in the development of the innovative, unorthodox genre of art known as “Aerosol Art” (Graffiti Art/Writing). Immersed in HipHop culture as a youth, the walls of urban structures became his canvas.
Refa’s refined HipHop calligraphy speaks to a legacy of Style and cultural tradition born from the NYC subway painting movement. A lifetime of involvement in HipHop culture via the Universal Zulu Nation combined with his radical political awareness, has translated into a successful career as a HipHop Calligrapher, muralist, illustrator, activist, and educator. Refa One’s design aesthetic promotes culture as a vehicle for radical political and social change. His pieces are maps of vision and reflection that capture the intellectual value and heritage of the HipHop vernacular. His themes materialize in the fusion of his unique stylized letters and his use of eclectic cultural iconography. That fusion result is a multitude of powerful works engaging the spirit, intellect, and the imagination.
Artists
- Lindsey Millikan
- Javier Rocabado
- Helen Bayley
- Dawood Marion
- Gaelen Smith
- Daniel Panko
- Keena Romano
- Duane Deterville
- Sydney Cain
- Dorias Flagg
- Vanessa Espinoza