The idea for the Ripon College mural continues to evolve. Now a more simple (4 characters) composition, with more telling power.
The symbols around the subjects explain clearly who and why they are inspirational to many today. For Cesar Chavez there are fields and farms and around Maya Angelou there are books , pen, and an eagle soars over them; which I doubt it needs any explanation. Around Malcolm X there will people listening to him.
Lastly, Mahatma Gandhi will be pictured with majestic mountains, and above him the famous spinning wheel, a symbol of peaceful resistance.
The students, coordinator and myself agreed there must be a person in the mural that represents the "allies" or part of the majority who clearly sees society's room to grow and act as a supporter against unbalance. Due to their fascinating stories, JFK and Viola Liuzzi were given strong consideration. We finally settled on Yuri to be part of this important piece of art.