MU–Latino Community Mural Project

Students from Millersville University, in collaboration with Michelle Angela Ortiz, professional artist, arts educator and muralist, created two digitally-produced murals, one to be installed in the University’s newly renovated Student Memorial Center (SMC) and the second at Clipper Magazine Stadium, in Lancaster City.

The community mural at Clipper Magazine Stadium celebrates the contributions and cultural experiences of Latino community members in the city of Lancaster. The installation ceremony for this mural is open to the public and will be held May 5 from 5:30-7 p.m. The mural installed in the SMC atrium celebrates the contributions of Latino students to the University. The SMC installation ceremony will be held Wednesday, May 4 from 6 – 8 p.m. The SMC ceremony will feature a video and PowerPoint overview of the entire project. The artist will be present at both ceremonies.

To create these murals, Ortiz worked with students enrolled in Dr. Christine Filippone’s contemporary art course and students in Dr. Kimberly Mahaffy’s African American and Latino educational experiences course over the spring 2011 semester. As part of the community arts process, Ortiz led the Millersville students in the documentation of community stories through audio and video interviews. From civic leaders to abuelitas [grandparents], the students interviewed community members who shared their stories as Latinos living in Lancaster.

“The goal was to have the students take a step out of the classroom and studio and interact with the community,” said Ortiz. “To break away from traditional academic structured lessons and challenge them to learn in a different way. I wanted the students to examine any stereotypes they might have of the Latino community and see themselves as the common thread to the community members they were interviewing. The murals are a culmination of the stories that the students collected. They are stories of survival, struggle, triumph and hope. The students were an integral part in the process along with the community members who opened their doors to share their stories. Overall, this project gives the Latino community a voice and presence in Lancaster, and the students an opportunity to learn the community arts process and see the true essence of the people with whom they connected.”

Filippone and Mahaffy raised more than $10,000 in cash and in-kind support for the MU-Community Mural Project. The printing of the Clipper Stadium mural was supported in full by Lamar Advertising, York/Lancaster, Pa., and the printing of the SMC mural was supported in full by Sign-a-Rama, Columbia Ave., Lancaster. The project was also supported by the Society on Latino Affairs, the University Theme Committee, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Latina/o Studies Minor. The website was built by art major Aaron Chu, under the supervision of Professor James Pannafino, art and design. Poster design was provided by art majors Chu, Michelle Winey and Anthony Paparella, for the course Design for Social Equity taught by Nancy Mata (2011), art and design. Millersville honors student and art major Gabi Kime supervised video and photographic documentation of the entire project and provided necessary assistance with many additional aspects of the project.

For more information about the Millersville University – Latino Community Mural Project, contact Filippone at Christine.Filippone@millersville.edu or 717-872-3912, or contact Mahaffy at Kimberly.Mahaffy@millersville.edu or 717-871-2344. For further details, visit the Millersville University’s Latino Community Mural Project website.