AUDIO: Mural at Footprint Center honors Black sports legends

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Suns/Mercury Black History Month Mural
  • Runtime: 2:44
  • Downloadable audio here. (Note: Some web browsers may not support media download

THE PHOENIX SUNS AND THE MERCURY HAVE A  BRAND NEW MURAL AT FOOTPRINT CENTER IN DOWNTOWN PHOENIX. IT’S ONE OF NEARLY 30 MURALS THAT WILL GO UP AROUND PHOENIX TO HONOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH. AS CRONKITE NEWS JUSTIN TORRES EXPLAINS THE MURALCOMMEMORATES AFRICAN AMERICAN ATHLETES FROM ARIZONA.   

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THE MURAL OUTSIDE THE FOOTPRINT CENTER FEATURES A BEVY OF BLACK ATHLETES FROM THE  PAST AND THE PRESENT. ICONS SUCH AS LARRY FITZGERALD, SKYLAR DIGGINS-SMITH, AND BRITTNEY GRINER ARE NOW PAINTED ON WHAT LOOKS LIKE A MASSIVE GARAGE DOOR NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO THE CENTER. THE ATHLETES FRAME THE WORDS “ I AM BLACK HISTORY.” 

THE ARTISTS HOPE THE MURAL OFFERS INSPIRATION TO YOUNG BLACK INDIVIDUALS  ACROSS THE PHOENIX AREA.

LUCRETIA TORVA AND JENNIFER WHITE DESIGNED AND PAINTED THIS MURAL. TORVA SAYS IT HAS MEANING FOR HER AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY : 

: <Lucretia Torva/mural painter/artist>

“Everybody deserves the same, access to everything in the country.” (5 SECONDS)

TORVA SAYS THE MURAL TOOK JUST OVER A WEEK TO FINISH: 

<Lucretia Torva/mural painter/artist>

“It was important to have it done on time. That’s for sure, <laugh> and to the absolute best of my ability. So there, fortunately there was enough time to do it, uh, so I could concentrate on each figure and get it done on time.” (14 SECONDS)

THE MURAL REPRESENTS A FIGHT THAT HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR MUCH LONGER.

SANDRA BASSETT IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE WEST VALLEY ARTS COUNCIL. SHE SAYS THE BLACK COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE ADVERSITY. AND SHE  HOPES THIS MURAL WILL HELP EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE ROLE BLACK ATHLETES HAVE HAD. 

<Sandra Bassett/ President and CEO of the West Valley Arts Council>

“What we hope that it does is that the community at large will get a chance to learn more about famous African Americans in history and what they’ve contributed to the community, that it will encourage, um, more communication and understanding, increase education and awareness, and most of all bring people together so that people can come down together and see these different murals and experience something incredible in art. So it’s about community.” (22 SECONDS)

AND THE PHOENIX SUNS AND THE MERCURY ARE A BIG PART OF THE CITY’S COMMUNITY. 

<Sandra Bassett/ President and CEO of the West Valley Arts Council>

“Traditionally barriers are being broken down. Um, and we, we don’t always see them, but when a sports figure breaks down a barrier increases an opportunity. It is, um, publicized nationally. It’s in the papers in the, um, TV on radio and everything.” (14 SECONDS)

THIS IDEA OF ATHLETES USING THEIR PLATFORMS TO PROMOTE SOCIAL ACTIVISM CONTINUES TO GROW. BASSETT SAYS  THE PLAYERS FOR THE SUNS AND THE MERCURY ARE AT THE FOREFRONT.

<Sandra Bassett/ President and CEO of the West Valley Arts Council>

“That’s why we selected these people because of their great accomplishments, their barrier breaking activity. And we know that the community will be able to engage with these people that they’ve seen and known for many years.” (10 SECONDS)

BASSETT AND THE  FOUNDER OF THE BLACK HISTORY MONTH MURAL PROJECT, GIZETTE KNIGHT WORKED TOGETHER TO GET THE SPOT FOR THE MURAL AT FOOTPRINT CENTER. 

<Sandra Bassett/ President and CEO of the West Valley Arts Council>

“So when it came time for the mural, this was a natural place to stop first, highly visible area, great walls, great support from the Phoenix community.” (9 SECONDS)

THE PAINTING OF ATHLETES WHICH INCLUDES  LARRY FITZGERALD, BRITTANY GRINER, AND SKYLER DIGGINS-SMITH NOW HAS A HOME AT FOOTPRINT CENTER. BUT IT WON’T BE THE ONLY MURAL YOU SEE PUT UP THIS MONTH TO CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY. THERE WILL BE ANOTHER 27 MURALS LOCATED AROUND THE VALLEY. 

JUSTIN TORRES, CRONKITE NEWS.

HOST OUTRO: 

THE PHOENIX CITY COUNCIL IN 2020 DENIED A REQUEST TO PAINT A “BLACK LIVES MATTER” MURAL ON A DOWNTOWN STREET. THAT REJECTION LED TO THE BLACK HISTORY MURAL PROJECT. THE SHINING LIGHT FOUNDATION STARTED THE PROJECT LAST YEAR TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER ARIZONANS.