B.C.’s Human Rights Commissioner, Kasari Govender, visited Fort St. John on Thursday to unveil a mural which aims to bring the community together in the fight against hate.
Titled "From Hate to Hope", the mural was designed by artists Facundo Gastiazoro and Stephanie Anderson of the Raven-Tacuara Artist Collective, and incorporated input from Fort St. John residents. The title name draws on Govender's work in a commission report examining a rise in hate during the COVID-19 pandemic in B.C.
“My hope is that the unveiling of this mural provides an opportunity for people in Fort St. John to process their experiences of hate and inspires connections that can strengthen the community,” said Govender in a press release. “This work of art represents a collective effort to combat hate and promote inclusivity. By engaging artists and incorporating the voices of the community, we hope to inspire positive change, foster a sense of belonging and send the message that hate has no place here.”
The Fort St. John Community Arts Council co-hosted the unveiling, with support from the City of Fort St John. The council led community engagement for the mural, on behalf of the commission. It's the second of four new mural to be unveiled across the province, with a mural unveiled just last week in Vancouver.
“In unveiling this extraordinary mural, we not only reveal a work of art but a narrative of connection and resilience in Fort St. John,” said Rosemary Landry, arts council president. “The powerful result of this collaboration between artists and local residents shows the profound impact art can have when it emerges from the collective heartbeat of a community. The Fort St. John Community Arts Council is thrilled to have been a part of this exciting project and we hope it is the first of many murals in our community.”
“It was such a positive experience working with the organizers, volunteers and community members; even passersby would stop as we were painting and tell us how happy they were to see the colours. And really, that’s what we want: Everyone is very busy with their lives, and we hope our mural will make people take a moment to pause and, hopefully, feel something. It’s very rewarding when that happen,” said mural artist Facundo Gastiazoro.
Additional murals are being created in Keremeos and Nanaimo, and the projects complement a series of events and workshops hosted across B.C. earlier this year to talk about local experiences of hate and paths forward for preventing hate across the province.
