Mural depicting Tacoma’s diversity vandalized

TACOMA, Wash. — A mural representing Tacoma’s diversity has been vandalized.

The mural called “I Am Tacoma” was vandalized last week on the side of the Unity Christian Ministries Youth Center, which is at the corner of East McKinley Avenue and East 63rd Street.

KIRO 7 was able to talk with the artist, who is working to restore the work to its original beauty.

Gerardo Pena created the mural as a community engagement project in October 2020.

Pena said the mural was first damaged when someone painted over the face of a Black child.

Then he said someone came back four days later and painted over the face of the other child, who is white.

Pena said he was surprised that the mural lasted as long as it did.

He said it was frustrating to find out it had been defaced as many people had sent him photos of the marred project.

Now he says his priority is to bring it back to life so that the community can enjoy its beauty again as he is humbled that people care about the painting.

Pena told KIRO 7 that it was unfortunate that some people got angry over art representing diversity. However, he said this reflected the beauty of art, which garners a range of reactions — both bad and good.

For the most part, he said the community loves the mural and wants it back.

Pena said the building’s owner plans to press charges against the person who vandalized the mural but there is no word on whether the person will be fined.

To find out more on how you can help, visit the artist’s page here.

©2022 Cox Media Group