‘Chicago PD' Actor Creates Wall Art Mural Project to Promote Change in Harvey

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You know LaRoyce Hawkins from the NBC drama, “Chicago P.D.," but he also wants fans of the show to know he is also passionate about helping out his hometown, south suburban Harvey.

Over the past year or so, Hawkins has had several conversations with Harvey’s mayor, Brother Christopher Clark.

“When the mayor told me about that plot that he prays by,” says Hawkins, “and when I saw that wall, once we got Restoration Ministries to approve us attacking the wall, we just got busy.”

Hawkins enlisted the help of friend and artist Amoz Wright who recruited four other artists to work on “Harvey World War”, which is being created across the street from City Hall,  on the side of Restoration Ministries.   

“We all had the opportunity to conceptualize what does bringing light to the city, what does that look like to us,” says artist Amoz Wright.

Starting from the left side of the mural, Wright’s portion is called, “Talk that Talk” , inspired by the first two chapters of Genesis in the Bible, and a friend who used her voice to overcome a difficult situation.  

“And it was at the same time that I realized, ‘wow the power in our voices’, we are able to overcome trauma just by speaking positivity into the world," Wright said.

The second section from the left is called, "The Creation of lyur MJSD" (pronounced “Your Majesty”), painted by artist and art therapist David Israel.

“I wanted to show the black man and the black person in general could see God in themselves and also see themselves in God,” says Israel. “I wanted to show them that we are more than what we’ve been told.”

The middle section is called, “Green Harmony”, painted by artist Nefertiti Abdulmalik, who says, “It’s about being in nature and being with nature and how serenity is born when you can just observe what is and observe the situation of now.”

The section second from the right is entitled, "Change." It was created by artist Dante Lyles, and includes a west African symbol and butterflies.

 And the final section on the right is called "Give," created by Caleb M. Harris.

"(It's called that) because, I think if all of us learn to give in a way we are weak at giving, you become strong in that weakness," he says.

LaRoyce adds, “This is just the beginning. Our hope is that every year, a different landmark in Harvey can be attacked with light."

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