Bastion Square got a little brighter on Friday (Aug. 14) as 17 BIPOC artists came together to paint a mural, celebrating community but also bringing awareness to racial injustices.

Charity Williams, a bronze medal Olympian and member of the national rugby 7s team, organized the event.

“The last few months have been really tough – mentally, emotionally, physically – not being able to play rugby and not being at the Olympics because we would have literally been there right now, has been really hard,” she said, adding the recent reckoning happening in regards to racial injustice is the silver lining. “So it’s tough but I feel like I’m supposed to be here more than anywhere else.”

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Each artist was given a letter from the phrase ‘More Justice, More Peace,’ to decorate. Each letter was sponsored by a local business with an additional grant from the City of Victoria helping cover the costs of the mural.

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“I know the phrase is commonly known as no justice, no peace but I felt there was a very strong need to go beyond that and not just sit in the same cycle of sadness and hurt,” said Williams, adding she’d like to see more Black and Indigenous history taught within the city.

Solamae Holmes, one of the 17 artists, painted a portrait of Breonna Taylor in her letter.

“Though Black and Indigenous people may be a small demographic in Victoria, I think our voices are still important and this amplifies that. This is a physical representation that we’re here and that we care,” she said.

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