When the beloved mural celebrating black culture at 12th & Chicon was removed by a business new to the neighborhood, we led the effort to amplify the community’s voice. Through a series of courageous conversations and negotiations the mural was restored. We convened diverse community members at facilitated gatherings to hear and understand the needs of the community regarding the future desire of the wall. These conversations assisted the artist in developing a more robust composition for the final rendition. The vibrant artwork, which features famous black Austinites as well as national and international icons, continues to garner great media attention. The mural unveiling was truly a community a celebration which featured food vendors, a dj, the media and supporters young and old. It was part of Six Square’s desire to help ritualize cultural assets in the District. The “We Rise” mural is once again an iconic stop for Austin mural-lovers.
Six Square continues to collaborate with the public on a variety of mural projects that aim to share the story of the African American community of Central East Austin. We have served as consultants to developers, city entities and community-based groups to provide our expertise on various mural projects. In 2019 Six Square will share on the SXSW stage how they used technology, specifically virtual reality, to reanimate public spaces and share the stories of black history and culture in East Austin through murals and other projects to reanimate the District.