For Immediate Release: July 8, 2014
(Oakland, CA) — The Community Rejuvenation Project, an Oakland-based non-profit organization specializing in community murals, proudly announces Phase I of the Alice Street Mural Project, which runs from July 2 -Aug 3rd, 2014. This mural project will encompass painting three large walls surrounding the parking lot at 1401 Alice Street (opposite the Malonga Casquelord Center and facing the historic Hotel Oakland.) The walls cover an approximate surface area of 2500 ft., and have been repeated targets for blight and tag vandalism prior to the mural’s commencement.
The view of the mural projection from the top of the Malonga Casquelourd Center. Photo by Theo Williams.

The view of the mural projection from the top of the Malonga Casquelourd Center. Photo by Theo Williams.

The mural design incorporates historical figures and events, cultural icons such as Malonga Casquelord and Jerri Lange, local historian Roy Chan, and neighborhood residents.”The Alice Street mural design represents a fusion of the past, present and future communities of this particular neighborhood, with placemarking and holding the space for current communities to remain in the face of historical displacement and ongoing gentrification,” said CRP Executive Director and co-lead artist Desi Mundo. “Additionally, this mural creates an institutional memory for this important intersection at the heart of Oakland’s downtown, establishes a connecting link between the Afro-Diasporic and Chinese-language communities, and will serve as an important reminder of Oakland’s cultural diversity for years to come.”
District 3 City Councilmember Lynnette Gibson – McElhaney added, “When this wall was covered with tagging, it was a bruise amongst the beauty of this unique downtown neighborhood. I am incredibly excited that this location will be beautified and abated with creative energy from young people and local artists!”
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The groundbreaking on the Alice Street Mural Project comes after CRP conducted 6 months of intensive research, including a thorough internal mural design process, conducting first-person interviews, reviewing archival photos and other historical material, attending and filming numerous performances by Malonga-based dance companies and Hotel Oakland residents, navigating institutional bureaucracy, holding numerous community meetings which provided neighborhood input into the design process, hiring a Cantonese translator, and producing a successful IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign and two trailers for an upcoming accompanying documentary film project, directed by Spencer Wilkinson.
The design after projection. Photo by Desi Mundo.

The design after projection. Photo by Desi Mundo.

The mural groundbreaking is only the beginning; CRP also plans to hold community painting days (TBA) , encouraging participation from local residents, and giving them ownership of “their” mural.
Phase II of the project is scheduled to begin in August; a block party/community celebration featuring live music and dance will be held at the completion.
For more information, visit the CRP homepage: www.crpbayarea.org
Follow the Alice Street Mural Project on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AliceStreetMural
To schedule an interview with Desi Mundo, or obtain press photos, call 510-269-7840 or email CRPBayArea[at]gmail.com.