The visitor center at Galena Creek Regional Park has been given a new coat of paint. More than one, in fact. The center now sports a series of brilliant murals serving as a visual representation of the diversity at Galena Creek. The mural is part the ongoing Nature Together Project, which draws on the arts to promote diverse voices and invite all people, regardless of identity or background, to enjoy the beauty and activities of the park.
Ashley Phillips, a VISTA AmeriCorps member serving as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator, provided an overview of the project: “Our goal is to create an inclusive Galena Creek Regional Park. There are three elements to our Nature Together Project. I have collaborated with local artists Edwin Martinez, Reilly Moss, Kristina Lammers, and Mel Nunez to create a collection of murals known as our Nature Together Mural. This mural was completed this week and can be found inside the Visitor Center. We also have QR codes around the park and on trail signs asking for visitors to submit photos of themselves and their families exploring Galena Creek Regional Park. These photos are being collected and will be displayed in a slideshow and on our social media. The next phase of our Nature Together Project consists of creating a Community Tree. We are still looking for individuals who would like to help us create a hands-on art exhibit inside the visitor center. The art exhibit will resemble a tree where visitors can use a photo printing camera and pin their photos to the branches of the tree. We hope to build representation of the many visitors that come to Galena and unite in our love of nature to build environmental stewardship and encourage conservation efforts while creating an inclusive Galena. I have also created a website for all things DEI at Galena.”
Our thanks to Ashley for her efforts in organizing the Nature Together Project. We invite you to visit the Galena Creek Visitor Center mural in person, but in the meantime, enjoy these photos, as well as more information about the Community Tree.
