Being in custody instead of in high school is a challenging situation for kids at the Farmington Bay Youth Center but they’ve been able to express themselves through a mural project at the facility called “The Marathon Continues,” which was unveiled last week.

 The project was in partnership with The Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs, in collaboration with One Kind Act, Utah Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services, the Utah Division of Arts & Museums, and Ogden Contemporary Arts. 

“This is groundbreaking work here,” said Curtis Bennett, executive director of One Kind Act A Day. “Some people would think finding kindness in this space would not be remotely possible. We’ve seen through these young men and young women that kindness belongs everywhere.”

The organization developed a curriculum that would be applicable and motivational as well, he said. “The team that helped teach it were people that were more their age. The right people to be involved in something like this to help them know what kindness is.”

The initiative was 30 days, said Bennett. “We had a muralist help them apply the learning into a mural embedded with symbolism. There were 15 youth working over 10 weeks, seven partner organizations, two education artists and one mission – kindness.” 

“When I started I invited them to share their thoughts and opinions on the question,” said Tracy Williams, Lead Muralist. “The question was, ‘what do you think is going to be the hardest part about this entire process and the reason why.’ I did that for several reasons and some of those reasons were a safe space for kids to share their thoughts, to share their feelings and to be seen without being judged and also so they can discover that vulnerability is a strength.”

The mural is brightly colored with flowers, chess pieces and blocks with positive messages. “Mind you some of our kids don’t come from loving homes,” said Williams. “Some of the trusted adults in their lives are not kind. One of the kids said, ‘I love, love for a miracle, people coming out and cheering for us.’”

Williams told the kids that when it comes to the flowers (on the mural) they are getting them today but at the same time continue to think of the next generations ahead. “This gives them something to look forward to when they’re here. Think of the ways you can look for them.”

The chess pieces mean to be strategic in life, she said. “You gotta take a couple of steps ahead in order to get the results that you want. We can teach these skills but it’s up to you what you do with them.”

“I think I like those flowers because I feel like you can bloom, you know in your own ways and different colors,” said one incarcerated youth. “You don’t want to be the same color and if it’s the same flower it can be all different shapes. It can be small, ugly, right? But it’s alive.”

“I’m just glad to be here,” said another girl. “I feel like I just want to give a shout out to everyone who is here. Thanks for taking the time out of your life to be with us because sometimes we have found people don’t want to be with us because we’re locked up.”

 Sometimes you make a mistake, she said. “Yeah, I’m incarcerated but it’s not who you are.”