Por Que 'Vinimos
Why We Came

Giant hibiscus blossoms rise above the Sixth Ward Community Garden, carrying words that answer the question at the heart of this mural: Why did we come? Created with students in the Pennsylvania Migrant Education Program, the work gives personal migration stories a visible place in the neighborhood.

Location
135 Buttonwood Street

Reading, PA 19601

Project completion

2006

Project Support

Sponsors:

Pennsylvania Migrant Education

Campfire USA

Berks County Conservancy

Reechcraft

Windlock

Student Artists:

Epiphany Acevedo

Louis Bautista

Luis Beltrán

Yokarina Castillo

Tamara Martin

Giancarlo Silva-Gamarra

Dany Soriano-Castro

Justinelly Vanderhorst

Pedro Vanderhorst

Stacey Vanderhorst

Lead Artist:

Michael L. Miller

Assistant Artists:

Robert Kucharczuk

Irene Routté

Site Coordinators, PA Migrant Education

Sergio Mery

Patricia Vlasak

About the Project

The garden setting shaped the design, connecting the students’ family histories in agriculture with the community garden below the mural. Students posed for photographs, worked in the mural studio, and helped guide community volunteers. Family and friends also joined a bilingual program at the Northeast Branch of the Reading Public Library, where they learned about the project and helped paint.

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