A plea recently went out on the Dallas Army of Artists Facebook page for artists to help paint murals on the boarded-up businesses in downtown Dallas. Kim Farris, Garland ISD visual art instructor from Parkcrest Elementary School and Williams Elementary School, was honored to be a part of the project.
Izk Davis, the creator of the FB page, asked local artists to join a group who’d be making a difference by painting murals for businesses that were affected by the riots.
According to Farris, Hati Munetsi, also a GISD visual art instructor and art therapist from Herfurth ES coordinated a group of GISD art instructors to help spread a vision of hope and unity.
The GISD group included Farris and Munetsi along with Elaine Blacker, Ashley Pollay, Dixie Nambo, Jordan Eggars, Maddie Villadeval, Manuela Davis – teacher assistant and LeAnn Martinez – assistant principal. 
Former GISD art teachers Stephanie McPherson and Violet Lara, also joined the team as well as Dallas ISD educators Candace Lindsey and Michael Munetsi.
Farris, who has taught at Parkcrest and Williams elementary schools for six years, said that the group coming together as artists to bring a message of hope and wanting to help in the healing process was an amazing experience. She added that she believes there is great healing power in the process of creating and the viewing of what has been created.
“I think we all felt overwhelmed by a sense of emotions seeing all the damage throughout the city and feeling a need to do something. It was great to have the opportunity to work as a team and collaborate to make something good out of something so tragic,” Farris said.
The teachers worked on the project for three days and were encouraged by people driving by and honking and sharing words of encouragement and gratitude.
“Some people even got out of their cars to take pictures and find out who we were. They took a video while we worked and the business owners who lived in the area even provided water and food,” Farris said.
The second morning when the group returned, there were people taking graduation pictures, family pictures and selfies in front of the murals. Farris said it was heartwarming to see and feel a sense of lightheartedness in an area that had been struck by violence.
“We were all honored and blessed to have this opportunity to serve the downtown Dallas community and offer our God-given talents to do something to make a difference. We hope it brought some kind of joy to those who are part of the downtown community and to those who came to visit,” Farris said.
Photos provided by Kim Farris.