Stephanie Arguera of UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School coordinated a mural painting project at Isla Vista’s St. George Youth Center; the mural had its ribbon cutting ceremony Friday, August 25. Graduate students from the Department of Education have been working with the Center for the past two years on a project that grew from a traditional maker space project into a community involvement project. All of this work is under the purview of a UC Links grant with Dr. Betsy Brenner and Dr. Richard Duran as co-PIs.
“Often the opportunity to make a difference in your world is only a decision away,” Arguera, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Education, says about the project. “While the idea of creating a community mural was hatched about a year ago, the actual execution required someone’s dedicated hours of coordination and a commitment to the project that, while seemingly small in size, can inspire its expansion and continuation. The young people who participated in this inaugural mural at Estero Park look forward to adding more artwork that represents them and the families of IV in the future, and I look forward to helping them achieve their goals.”
The community involvement project was focused on the situation that although many families live in Isla Vista, they are frequently overlooked because its college student population dominates the town. The youth developed surveys and interviewed people about this situation in order to ascertain the needs of the families, the perceptions of college students towards local families, and the broader perceptions of the Goleta community towards Isla Vista. The mural is a very concrete way to make more prominent the visibility of local youth and families.
The students worked with Artist and UCSB alumnus (’15) Gabriel Cardenas to create the mural. Cardenas has led various mural installation projects as a teacher and mentor to youth in the community in places such as Ortega Park, La Cumbre Jr. High, Franklin Neighborhood Center, Isla Vista, and Carpinteria. He has been invited to participate in ‘Live Art’ showcases for various community events such as Earth Day in Isla Vista and I’Madonnari at the SB Mission; Art Shows at UCSB, 805 Boba, Del Pueblo Cafe, & Casa de la Raza.
St. George Youth Center has been serving Isla Vista and Goleta youth and families since 1998, providing a safe, fun, alternative space for teens during the high risk after-school hours.
The youth center is open to young people in grades 6 -12, and we support the strength and achievement of youth and their families through a variety of educational, recreational, cultural and leadership opportunities.