Walk onto an elementary campus where a freshly painted mural spans the wall, and you immediately see more than bright colors and clean lines; you see a neighborhood that has found its creative voice. Across Los Angeles County, bare exterior walls and cafeteria spaces are transforming into dynamic centers of storytelling, heritage, and pride through the LA’s BEST mural program.
The project traces back two years to a deeply meaningful moment: a request to create a campus mural honoring a student. From that single memorial piece, the concept sparked immense interest across school sites. Principals and staff took notice, requests began pouring in, and what started as an individual campus tribute blossomed into an organization-wide movement.
At the heart of this creative expansion is Area Program Supervisor Tatiana Sanchez. A multidisciplinary artist who studied illustration at Cal State Long Beach with extensive experience in printmaking, painting, and graphic design. Tatiana arrived at LA’s BEST eager to demystify public art for young learners. Having grown up participating in after-school programming alongside her sister before returning to the field as a youth coach and supervisor, her commitment to students is rooted in lived experience. For Tatiana, visual art is both an expressive medium and an emotional anchor—a mindful practice that brings ease, calm, and focus to busy young minds.
“The imagination holds limitless possibilities,” Tatiana emphasizes. “Public murals challenge our students to look up, take in the art surrounding their everyday environments, and realize that their own stories deserve a place on those walls. Creating a mural gives kids a profound sense of ownership and belonging at school. When they stand back and see a design they helped shape, that sense of accomplishment stays with them forever.”
Bringing a mural from initial sketch to full-scale public art requires dedicated collaboration long before paint touches concrete. Tatiana and her team guide staff and students through a layered curriculum, beginning with large-format studies on butcher paper and canvas to build technique, confidence, and visual storytelling skills. From there, the team collaborates directly with school principals through an intentional design process, carefully refining concepts, palettes, and narratives to ensure the final piece authentically honors the culture and identity of the school community for decades to come.
That shared vision came alive over the summer with major mural completions across four school campuses: Vinedale College Preparatory Academy, Newcastle Elementary, Hillery T. Broadous Elementary, and Osceola Elementary. Building on that momentum, planning is already moving forward on additional high-impact installations across LA County.
Every brushstroke is made possible by an interconnected team working across disciplines:
- Tatiana Sanchez, Area Program Supervisor & Lead Artist
- Rocio Serrano, Area Program Supervisor
- Daisy Flores, Area Program Supervisor
- Christine Castillo, Coordinator
- Yesenia Benitez, Director, Arts Department
- Estela Carranza, Site Coordinator
- Alicia Bernal, Principal, Vinedale College Preparatory Academy
- Victoria Littlejohn, Principal, Hillery T. Broadous Elementary School
- Judy Goitia, Principal, Newcastle Elementary School
- Jose Velasquez, Principal, Osceola Elementary School
The program’s steady growth and community resonance continue to inspire organizational leadership.
“Art has the unique power to transform a school campus into an inspiring sanctuary of expression,” says LA’s BEST President & CEO Michele Broadnax. “I could not be prouder of our talented Arts Department. These murals showcases exactly what happens when our staff, school leaders, and students unite to tell their own stories and build something meaningful that will uplift neighborhoods across Los Angeles.”
As LA’s BEST continues refining its mural model—with plans underway to incorporate broader community paint events—the program stands as proof of what happens when youth are given the resources, mentorship, and creative space to dream big.
To discover how creative enrichment is transforming campuses across the city, visit the LA’s BEST Arts program page.
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