Bluffton University’s Multicultural Student Organization will create an outdoor Black Lives Matter mural, location to be determined, once the weather allows for the new installation. In the meantime, the organization has contributed a Black Lives Matter banner along the stairs leading to the Commons as a temporary installation for what they plan to complete by the end of the semester.
The idea to do a mural surfaced at the beginning of the 2020 fall semester during a MSO meeting that was centered on outlining events, activities or ideas that students would like to participate in. The process for pursuing the mural included assessing the campus climate and detailing the “why” for the mural within the proposal sent to president Jane Wood and other necessary committees and the board of directors.
Tajah Upshaw, vice president of MSO and a senior criminal justice major and psychology minor, is the one who proposed the idea of doing a mural. Upshaw remembered the summer events including George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, Breonna Taylor’s case regaining prominence and the vigils and protests held nationwide. She took inspiration from how major cities came together and painted murals on the streets.
“I saw how unifying and liberating it was for them to come together for a cause like that and create a beautiful piece of art and remembrance of the African-American people that died,” said Upshaw. “As a way to show resilience and raise awareness for police brutality and systemic racism.”
The possible reactions or backlash toward the mural that could come from people on campus or from the Bluffton community influenced the timing of the art piece, especially on whether it should come before or after the presidential election. The banner stands as a temporary piece that gauges the internal campus reaction as it stands in place of the mural until the weather permits the installation of the art piece.
Quincy Salcido, an admissions counselor and an adviser for MSO, wants to be there to help encourage and support the organization’s students while still allowing for the students to drive the process. He also didn’t want fear, anxiety or uncertainty to hinder from making a change on campus.
“I think that (the mural) would establish and acknowledge a couple of different things,” Salcido said. “One, I believe it’s solidarity. How close Bluffton University’s campus is, how welcoming and accepting we are, although we have had past events that [weren’t] welcoming. This is for everyone to come together, learn something that we’ve never learned and immerse yourself within a whole new culture that you may not understand.”
The organization decided early on that it wanted the mural to represent more individuals throughout campus, and they wanted to incorporate support for the LGBTQ+ community. The banner reads “Black Lives Matter.” It is designed to represent three things: The yellow “Black” is for the original Black Lives Matter movement, the purple “Lives” is for Bluffton University’s campus community, and with contributions from Brave Space, “Matter” is decorated with LGBTQ+ Community pride flags.
“This is important to Bluffton University because of these efforts. We strive to build relationships within the community, through education and understanding while respecting and acknowledging each other’s thoughts and beliefs,” said Upshaw. “Our goal is to educate and live out both its enduring values of respect so that all students, staff and faculty of color and identity feel valued and respected for who we are.”
