When young people arrive at BUILD’s South Austin campus, they will see faces resembling theirs on the new mural at the northwest corner of its main building.
“I wanted to put up youthful faces looking inspired, looking determined, looking passionate,” said Chicago artist Dwight White at the mural unveiling on Oct. 12. “I feel like that’s what is inside of that building.”
Later that evening, about a dozen middle school participants in BUILD’s art program demonstrated their passion and determination during a master class in mural making led by White.
BUILD’s arts programs were initially created to divert young people from participating in gangs, offering them a space to learn new skills and be creative, said Rick Miranda, manager of the arts academy.
Today, they continue to provide free opportunities for nearly 70 local middle and high schoolers to learn, incorporating art and STEM with classes like fashion design, podcasting and music, woodworking and culinary arts. Program participant Ky’miarra said these programs are an opportunity to “learn new things and see new things in the community they’re in,” an opportunity kids in other neighborhoods take for granted.
The new mural is visible from South Laramie Avenue and West Harrison Street | Francia Garcia Hernandez 
The mural is inspired by the local community, showing youth’s passion and determination, White said | Francia Garcia Hernandez 
Mural artist Dwight White stands before the mural on Oct. 12 |Francia Garcia Hernandez 
The mural adorns the exterior walls of nonprofit BUILD Chicago’s 51,000-square-feet Austin campus | Francia Garcia Hernandez
At the master class, young people learned from White how to use professional spray paint, how different cap sizes produce different strokes and how to paint straight lines when making a mural.
Young participants enthusiastically took turns to practice and create a monochromatic purple mural on a wooden surface built by participants in the nonprofit’s wood shop program.
“It was hard, but it was good,” said Miair, a student at George Leland elementary school and BUILD’s arts program.
Dashona, also a student at George Leland School, likes the way spray paint “comes out” of the can and “goes everywhere.” The sound of shaking a spray paint can is like ASMR, she said.
White taught local middle schoolers how to paint a mural | Francia Garcia Hernandez 
Austin students participated in mural-making master class at BUILD Chicago | Francia Garcia Hernandez 
Students in BUILD’s art program learned how to use professional spray paint | Francia Garcia Hernandez 
White demonstrated how to safely apply spray paint on a surface | Francia Garcia Hernandez 
BUILD’s young participants experimented with different spray paint cap sizes | Francia Garcia Hernandez 
Youth experimented with spray paint | Francia Garcia Hernandez 
White demonstrated how to paint straight lines | Francia Garcia Hernandez 
It is not the first time some students used spray paint, but it’s the first they learned from a professional artist, they said | Francia Garcia Hernandez 
Young participant painted monochromatic mural during master class led by White | Francia Garcia Hernandez
“I just like to make a mess,” Dashona said.
It was not the first time students like Miair and Dashona used spray paint, but it was the first time they learned from a renowned local artist.
“It was nice to see the person who made the mural outside,” Dashona said.
White hopes this experience will inspire “one or two future artists,” he said.
“You can use your talents or use your passions to actually be influential, to make a difference, make change and be creative,” he said.
That vision guided White to create a visual “asset” for the community inspired by the community. The mural will be an entry point that evokes emotions and interest upon arriving on the West Side from I-290, he said.
“Creativity drives culture,” White said.
