ACLU Unveils 5,500 Sq. Ft. Mural In Downtown Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CA — The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California Friday unveiled a massive mural depicting major figures in the fight for civil liberties and civil rights in the Southland.

Designed by artist-in-residence Audrey Chan, the 5,500-square-foot, lushly colored mural covers the entire front of the ACLU SoCal's headquarters building in downtown Los Angeles. It features not only monumental depictions of people represented or otherwise associated with the organization, it also includes passages from the ACLU's bedrock document -- the U.S. Constitution -- and other messages.

Chan, who designed public artworks including murals for L.A. Metro's Little Tokyo/Arts District Station now under construction, works from a strong sense of community. She worked with community partners Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles, People's City Council, TransLatin@ Coalition and Ktown for All on the ACLU SoCal mural that she entitled, "The Care We Create."

"The mural lifts up Southern Californians -- past and present -- who have fought for a better tomorrow by exercising their First Amendment rights, challenging unjust systems of policing and abuses of state power, and demanding respect for the rights of Black and brown people, immigrants, people unhoused, the LGBTQ community and youths," Chan said.

The mural sits directly across from an unmarked building that houses the Los Angeles Police Protective League that has so often railed against the ACLU SoCal's support of Black Lives Matter and other community groups opposing the unwarranted use of deadly police force.

Those depicted in the mural include Dr. Melina Abdullah, the educator/activist and co-founder and leader of Black Lives Matter-L.A; Hector Barajas, a major figure in the deported veterans movement who was helped by the ACLU SoCal to win his return to the U.S. and citizenship; Ramona Ripston, executive director of the ACLU SoCal for four decades during which she built the organization into an advocacy powerhouse; and Upton Sinclair, activist, author and founder of the ACLU SoCal in 1923.