“This mural wall tells the story of my personal growth and development through education. More specifically, the reading of books that lead to my journaling. As a child I struggled with reading and this mural represents the growth and expansion of my mind through books. The more I pushed myself to read the more it felt like food for my brain which fueled my desire for more. The mural depicts how reading allowed me to transform knowledge into creative perspectives which drives my vision. A vision that I hope will inspire others in creating art, writing, performance, or poetry. On any given night, you can find me in a corner with a stack of books. I love how one book can lead you to another great read. In our current political and educational climate, many books are being banned. Though banning books doesn't make them illegal, it does make it harder for those who would benefit the most from having access to those books. Over the past few years, the banning of books is spreading, especially books by authors of color and those identifying as LGBTQIA+. This leaves readers with a sanitized version of history and not one that reflects today's society. With me being a Black Gay man, I reflect on how without those books, my ability to reach my level of creative expression would have been seemingly impossible”. 

B.Broadie