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Meet the author of
We Came to America

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In My Family/En Mi Familia by Carmen Lomas Garza

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In My Family/En Mi Familia by Carmen Lomas Garza

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Meet the artist and author of
In My Family
Visit the artist's website

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Discussion guide and questions
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Hear the poet recite his poem Adrift. https://poets.org/poem/adrift.

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Introduces his story IslandBorn

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Maybe Something Beautiful by F. Isabell Campoy and Theresa Howell 

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Maybe Something Beautiful by F. Isabell Campoy and Theresa Howell 

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Read aloud in English
Animated in English

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The true story behind Maybe Something Beautiful

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The true story behind Maybe Something Beautiful

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Maybe Something Beautiful by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell illustrated by Rafael López

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Artist and illustrator Rafael Lopez and community murals

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Artist and illustrator Rafael Lopez and community murals

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Local murals at Greenway Park tell stories

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Local murals at Greenway Park tell stories

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Murals are created in our community by artists and kids.

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Several dozens gathered Sunday at Beaverton's Greenway Park for the latest installation of the Talking Walls community arts project, a partnership between Tualatin Hills and Parks Recreation and non-profit Color Outside the Lines.

Sunday's event brought together Native foster youth and local youth from around the area to help paint large murals that highlight the heritage and tribe of three Native artists.

"We're out here bringing some light, bringing some color, remembering our roots and bringing a Native voice to this area," said Mariah Makalapua, a volunteer with Color Outside the Lines.

The murals were created my Native artists Rudy Serna, a Portlander and member of the Redstone Collective; Toma Villa, a member of the Yakama Nation who grew up in Portland and now lives in Suquamish, Washington; and Pattrick Price, born and raised in southeast Alaska and now living in Eugene.

Hear from each of the artists above what inspired their murals in the video above and see photos and descriptions below.

Toma Villa: "Those who live along the rivers..."

This piece is a story that comes from the Northwest region. It's about Elk and how he wanders the land and over and over again he makes his way back to the Big River and looks across the other side. He looks into the water and sees all the salmon swimming and thinks he can walk across the backs but his hoofs keep sliding off and he falls into the water. A sturgeon sees this and swims up and asks Elk what he's doing. Elk replies, " I've seen everything on this side of the river, I want to see what's on the other side." Sturgeon tells Elk that she could get him across on her back but she would need something from Elk for the ride across the river. Elk pulls a piece of himself and gives it to Sturgeon and the big fish puts it in her mouth. Elk climbs on her back and doesn't fall off because Sturgeon's skin is rough. So Sturgeon with Elk on her back began swimming across the river and as she swam the piece of Elk that was in her mouth became her cheeks. Elk made is across and was able to continue exploring and Sturgeon now has stronger muscles that help her feed on the freshwater clams she so dearly loves.

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Pattrick Price: "Sunset Hummingbird"

This painting depicts a brilliant, multi-colored form line designed hummingbird with an arcing red, orange and yellow gradient background (In Native American culture, hummingbirds are seen as healers and bringers of good luck and joy. The hummingbird totem has been used in my culture throughout history to teach us to enjoy life and to keep ourselves light and free. This painting is my depiction of the original form line designs from my Southeast Alaska/Tlingit heritage with warm and colorful inspirations from my residence in Oregon in the fall season.

see the finished version here).

The mural as a whole is meant to honor and respect the ancestors of the Americas by showing some elements of their diverse and yet common culture. From left to right: the South American condor flies toward the center. The patterns in the background are both Inca (above) and Mayan (below). The pyramid below is from the Guatemalan lowlands and next to it is the quetzal bird flying upward. Next is a Mexica symbol for corn and the pattern behind the tree of life is Aztec. Next is a teepee and in the middle a buffalo skull. Up above is a Chinook basket pattern and next to it is a Kalapuya one. On the right side the American bald eagle flies toward the center to meet the condor. And in the bottom right corner is a lone wolf howling.

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Rudy Serna: "Beloved Ancestors"

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Check out the Native Talking Walls at Greenway Park on the corner of SW Greenway Boulevard and SW Parkview Loop in Beaverton.

- Sean Meagher

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Native art highlighted in Talking Walls at Beaverton's Greenway Park

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Native foster youth and local youth help paint large murals created by local Native American artists at Greenway Park in Beaverton, Oregon on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021 in a community arts project from Tualatin Hills and Parks Rec and Color Outside the Lines.