AUSTIN, Texas — A South Lamar Boulevard mural organized by the HOPE Campaign in Austin was vandalized with an anti-election message. Now, the campaign's leader is asking for help in funding the work to repaint the mural.
Weeks before, the wall located on South Lamar Boulevard near Treadwell Street was painted with a mural to "empower the Austin community to vote," said Liz Whitington, executive producer of the HOPE Campaign. The words, "Your Vote Is Your Voice," were painted across a colorful backdrop.
Whitington said on the night of the first day of early voting in Texas, one of their vote murals was vandalized with red letters that stated, "ELECTIONS NO! REVOLUTION YES!"
"Normally, I am behind the scenes and keep our spotlight on our amazing HOPE artists and their insane talent; however, last night one of our Your Vote is Your Voice murals was vandalized," Whitington said. "I just couldn't remain silent. To say I am devastated is an understatement. I am devastated, sad, angry as hell and more determined than ever to continue spreading hope and inspiration. We believe when we collaborate around art, we can transform our world."
Whitington said the South Lamar Boulevard mural was part of a two-month campaign to "inspire, encourage, educate and empower the Austin community to vote."
"Use our votes as our voice to be heard, to stand up, to help shape not only Austin’s future, but also the future of our country and world," she said. "Our partner, The Austin Common, has amazing non-partisan resources to help inform everyone on all things voting, ballot and need-to-knows. Even when it doesn't seem like it, elections are powerful and have profound impacts on all of us. We want to motivate and celebrate participation. We still will."
PHOTOS: HOPE Campaign voting murals
She said the artists and campaign plan to repaint the mural and are asking for the community's help as the "vandalism has taken its toll financially on us."
Donations can be made online here.
"We could not do this without the amazing Austin community around us, and we need your support now more than ever to continue our work," Whitington said.
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