A new mural at Monterey County Juvenile Hall shows those incarcerated a positive path forward.

Agata Popęda here, with congratulations to the youth of the Monterey County Juvenile Hall on the nice mural they created for their beautiful, sunny garden by the facility. The unveiling ceremony took place Friday, May 30, and while the number of attendees was limited, it felt special.

The mural is a creation of the young men in the facility and artist Fabian Debora of Homeboy Art Academy, a Los Angeles nonprofit that helps youth find identity and understand their roots through art. 

“I am them,” Debora said at the ceremony, surrounded by a circle of young men. “We are the same.”

The mural shows purple fields rolling under the purple sky and a fieldworker picking flowers. There are butterflies flying throughout, adding colors to the already colorful image. It’s a happy portrayal of the agricultural-oriented lifestyle so typical to our county.

All the young men gathered, about 20 of them, spoke about the experience of creating art and working with an artist who shared their background and the obstacles they encountered in life. They were not shy, expressing how the project brought to the facility by their supervisors inspired them.

Michael Palmer, division director at the Monterey County Juvenile Hall, and staff were present, as well as the District 3 Monterey County Supervisor Chris Lopez and the artist himself. 

“Growing up in Monterey County,” Lopez said, “I didn’t know my own history before I had a chance to study about what was taken from the people that make me who I am. And one of the things that stood up to me [among things taken] was art.” 

“This experience has been a big reflection on my life,” one of the young men said. “It helped me understand what I want to do, and not only with my life, but for others.”

“For me the experience was like planting seeds for something beautiful,” said another.

One week of artistic activities and bonding with artists of similar backgrounds can be powerful for a young person. Surrounded by walls and forced to wear identical outfits, the youth of the Juvenile Hall had a rare chance to be exposed to aesthetics—let’s hope not for the last time.