Vine Corps Mural Project

VineCorps is a comprehensive youth development organization that builds community hubs of connection, action, and growth for teens in under-served areas of Prince George's County, Maryland. Working closely with youth who contend with challenging circumstances, we bridge opportunity gaps by offering personally-tailored educational support, family assistance, and access to a wide range of crucial life experiences beyond the classroom, including high-quality summer employment — all with relentless encouragement. VineCorps seeks funding for a youth-led, cross-cultural mural project in partnership with the International High School at Largo (IHSLA) and renowned Maryland-based muralist Jeff Huntingdon, aka Jahru. The project will involve approximately 24 IHSLA students and VineCorps teens designing and painting a mural on a prominent outside wall of IHSLA’s main building. Jahru has led mural projects with hundreds of youth and community artists from underserved communities around the world. As the young people collaborate, design, solve problems, develop their artistic, interpersonal, and leadership skills, and then reflect on their experiences together, Jahru emphasizes, “it’s about being authentic, finding your voice, your vision, and coming together and taking pride in your efforts.” Tour de Force grant funds will be used for materials and supplies and a portion of the teaching artist’s compensation. The entire project will take place over one very full week in mid-July. Creating this mural provides an enriching opportunity for the young people to give bright, bold expression to their experience of bringing their personal histories and varied cultural heritage together to forge a place of belonging for all within their school community and VineCorps family, not to mention a lifelong memory. The artistic process itself will intensify this larger community-building process, and leave a beautiful, lasting reminder for all to see.