California Story Fund
Kid Serve Youth Murals
Every Child Can Learn Foundation
San Francisco
Project Director: Josef Norris
This mural and story gathering project on California’s labor history involved students from three classes at Mission High School and Moscone Elementary School, both located in San Francisco’s ethnically diverse Mission District.
The project was directed by Josef Norris, the supervising artist and director of Kid Serve, an arts education program guiding students in grades 2-12 through the design and creation of permanent outdoor murals in their communities.
Labor experts and members of the community visited the classes to talk about their experiences in the labor movement. Students saw slide presentations and videos about San Francisco before the formation of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and learned about Dolores Huerta’s role in founding the United Farm Workers Union with Cesar Chavez.
Students also learned interviewing techniques and were assigned the task of interviewing people in their own neighborhoods on the issue of labor. The students created artwork based on classroom activities, research and interviews. That work formed the basis of the mural design.
The creation of the mural took place in January and May 2005, with family and community members helping out on special Saturday painting days.
Mission High School hosteda school assembly as part of the final unveiling ceremony. In April 2005 a community panel discussion was held at Mission High School featuring labor historians and activists as well some of the students who participated in the project.