Photos by Luis Rodriguez/Beyond Coal
During a late-night celebration in Charlotte’s historic West End community this summer, revelers were taken by surprise when unknown gunmen opened fire on the crowd. In the tumult, nine people were shot, two fatally, and another five injured by vehicles as people tried to escape the onslaught.
Charlotteans grieved in the aftermath of that terrible night, but none more than the families of those slain. The gruesome attack left the community devastated.
To try to help her community heal, Tiffany Fant, a “visionary architect and community broker,” worked with several community organizations, including For the Struggle, Inc., Historic West End Partners, educator/activist Ricky Singh, and a collective of artists.
“My role was part thought leader, part convener, and part logistics,” Fant said. “After the shooting on Father's Day, I knew we had to respond differently and in a manner that would help propel the Historic West End Corridor forward in a positive manner. We all collaborated to get the artists in the room and coordinate getting supplies and funds for the project.”
The Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign is proud to have played a small role, contributing supplies like brushes, rollers, and paint pans for the artists.
Photo by Luis Rodriguez of the Beyond Coal campaign.
The now-iconic mural titled simply “WESTEND,” arose from the community itself, its letters each a testament to a different aspect of the West End: Some are inspirational, some document daily life in the predominantly Black area, and some are aspirational, reflecting the future the community sees for itself, despite the many hurdles placed before it. The “Lion’s Head,” for example, represents the West Charlotte High School, a point of local pride and a place where many lives have been changed for the better.
When asked what this mural means to the folks who walk by it, drive by it, and live with it every day, Fant said, “The community has been very supportive in providing resources, but more importantly, they have been sharing their thoughts and ideas on how they want to see our community thrive. Too often people make plans without us, so we feel that things are happening to us. Yet, with this project, community members felt like they belonged and had input. As well, all of our community participated in some way, from our transient population to our business owners. This project allowed everyone to have space to contribute and feel valued.”
To the question of, “What’s next for the West End?” Fant replies, “What's next in regard to the murals is to do more installations that not only beautify but can also be used as activation spots for education around the arts, gathering places, and also as food distribution locations.
“Overall, the next big project is to create a community resilience hub where a community is able to respond to its own needs. So this will include training up individuals in certain areas to be able to respond to natural disasters, man-made disasters, violence, and other needs that the community may have so they are less dependent on institutions and can get to solutions a lot sooner.”
The Sierra Club hopes to support these efforts in the near future.