Last summer, as protesters marched through the streets of Cincinnati and many other U.S. cities, Alandes Powell had an idea: paint a large-scale Black Lives Matter mural on the street in front of Cincinnati City Hall in time for Juneteenth.
Just days later, the mural was a reality, helped along by 17 lead artists and their assistants who make up the collective called Black Art Speaks. This year, the mural got a renovation and a special sealant to protect it long into the future.
Powell says Black Art Speaks is just getting started. The group is hosting a celebration Aug. 14at the mural themed around economic empowerment and financial health.
Joining Cincinnati Edition to talk about how the mural came about so quickly, why it needed updating and what's next for Black Art Speaks is the group's founder Alandes Powell.
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