LA vs Hate leverages the power of the arts in order to engage with the cultural fabric of Los Angeles. Artists are entrusted by society to speak truth to power, interpret issues of injustice, distill complex obstacles, and build momentum. When addressing issues like hate and discrimination, art allows us to transcends boundaries and connect visual and emotional elements to ideas we may lack words for. It is through art and artists' dedication to conveying social inequalities that culture shifts and permanent changes develop in our communities.
In 2023, LA vs Hate commissioned five murals as part of “LA vs Hate: Summer of Solidarity”, a public art series that celebrates the diverse communities of Los Angeles. These murals were placed in each of the County’s five districts and were developed in collaboration with community members and organizations. This process was built off the learnings and success of two previous LA vs Hate murals designed to connect with diverse communities across the County, with new murals continuing to be developed that reflect the diversity of the County.
LA vs Hate Community MUrals
This interactive map provides a detailed look at many of the LA vs Hate murals, including descriptions of the meaning and inspiration behind individual creative elements.
SABR AT FAJR
“Sabr at Fajr,” which translates to “Patience at Dawn,” by Palestinian-American artist Saj Issa, echoes the strength and identity of the Muslim community in LA County. This mural explores the notions of patience, resilience, and cultural identity through the symbolic Sabr plant taking root, evoking connections to both Los Angeles and the Middle East.
THE HEALING FIELDS
“The Healing Fields”, created by artist Kenneth Webb, depicts the journey of an individual and a community that have been riddled with insurmountable obstacles and have overcome them with growth, perseverance, resilience, and dignity. “The Healing Fields” represent the reconnection to self, to each other, our ancestors, and to the Earth through sowing the seeds of consciousness, love, and solidarity in our collective quest to combat hate in Los Angeles County, one neighborhood at a time.
sunset luminaries
“Sunset Luminaries” by Carlos Rogel reflects themes of peace, empathy, and inclusion, values central to the San Fernando Valley Community for Mental Health Center’s work, where the mural is located. The Center provides both mental health services and support for anyone experiencing bullying, bias-related harassment or hate violence. This mural reflects LA vs Hate’s commitment to community wellness, healing, and collective resilience.
it’s all for you
"It's All for You" by Brittney S. Price welcomes the neighborhood with open arms to the gateway of South Los Angeles (South Central Los Angeles). The mural connects the history and future of Willowbrook's ecology and community. The central figure welcoming viewers represents the embrace of a grandmother while also standing in as a veneration of Velma Grant, the visionary developer who boosted Willowbrook in the early 1940s.
AV Continues to Bloom
“Antelope Valley Continues to Bloom” by River Garza represents the life cycles of the Antelope Valley through the poppy bloom as a metaphor for the richness and resilience of its local residents. The mural honors the relationship between communities experiencing food and housing insecurity and the service workers who engage in a cycle of giving and healing. Garza’s design draws from Tongva basket weaving patterns that are recognized across local tribes for their connections with geography and sacred geometry.
Come Walk With Me
“Come Walk with Me” by artist Kiara Machado is a journey through the El Monte community that is inspired by past and present stories of culture, unity, and pride. The mural is shaped by a key metaphor that emerged from community workshops: “The unity and affection of El Monte is like the sweetness of “pan dulce” and the warmth of “tamalitos” from Valley Mall.
The Long Beach Embrace
The Long Beach Embrace mural, created by artist Myisha Arellano at a distance displays two large figures forming an embrace, reflecting the community connection and support for one another, a central theme among Long Beach workshop participants. This embrace, a universally recognized symbol of care and affection, allows the viewer to immediately understand the larger implications of the work.
The common thread
“The Common Thread” mural, created by Iranian-Jewish muralist Cloe Hakakian weaves a vision of Jewish history and tradition together with the collective memories of Jews in Los Angeles. A mother lights Shabbat candles, their flames illuminating the Hebrew script for L’dor V’dor, from generation to generation. The folds of her headscarf become vignettes that celebrate the diversity of Jews within our community and the cultural experiences shared across time and place.
Unity under the sun
“Unity Under the Sun” depicts many cultural and historical symbols that showcase a global, multicultural narrative of resilience, integrity, and dignity in pursuing harmony with the Earth, ourselves, and one another. The mural, created in collaboration by local Los Angeles artists Misteralek and Showzart, spans the walls surrounding the train station and conveys a message of diversity, love, and honoring the cultural history of the Watts community. It illustrations reflect the arduous yet beautiful human journey toward our collective unity under the sun.
Stronger together
The building-sized mural depicts both the personal and the community experience of being targeted based on race - and the journey from hate to healing. "This project came to me right when I thought I was at my breaking point, after a woman who looked a lot like my obaachan got hate-crimed in my hometown. It feels good to do something, to make art about it. I was starting to feel hopeless,” said artist MariNaomi.