New mural in Fresno's Calwa Park honors neighborhood's unique culture

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno's Calwa Park has a new mural aimed at beautifying the area while restoring pride for the neighborhood

The title of this mural is 'If you are going to dream, that it is possible'. In Spanish it is 'Si vas a soñar, eso es posible'.

Hanford's Cynthia Velazquez created the unique piece that features a Latino boy juggling a soccer ball while bluejays fly around him.

The young child represents the soccer-loving residents who live in the neighborhood, while the birds demonstrate nature's importance to the community.

"I wanted to represent the culture of Calwa Park and I was inspired by the boys who play soccer, they're here like almost every day," Velazquez said.

Funds from the City's One Fresno Foundation were used for the project that was spearheaded by the Morehead-Cain Scholarship program from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The team worked with the mayor's office to highlight the good in the city through public art and storytelling.

"To put a young boy on the wall juggling a soccer ball I believe is going to be a prideful thing for this community. And I also believe thousands of youth over the years will take a picture in front of that wall with their soccer ball," said Mayor Jerry Dyer.

Dyer said this painting is part of a pilot art program with the hope it creates a wave of future murals throughout the city.

"In the future we'll probably use Measure P dollars as we expand our artwork. I know it's very important to the council as well so we're going to do this in every one of the districts," he said.