A five-county public art campaign kicks off this week in Pagosa Springs.
San Juan Basin Public Health (SJBPH) is pleased to partner with Rise Above Colorado, an organization collaborating with public health leaders in five counties in Southwest Colorado to elevate youth voices and behavioral health through public art. Rise Above Colorado is a statewide drug-prevention organization providing Colorado’s teens with information, resources, and healthy lifestyle alternatives to help them choose a life free of drug abuse.
Funded through a grant provided by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s (CDPHE) Office of Public Health Practice, Planning, and Local Partnerships, this is a first of its kind initiative involving teens in five Southwest Colorado counties. The initiative works with public health departments and local partners to paint murals connected by the theme of ‘resilience’ and the ‘#IRiseAbove’ hashtag that celebrates the positive healthy choices youth make.
This work coincides with Rise Above Colorado’s ‘Fill Your World With Good’ campaign, which highlights research showing that most Colorado teens aren’t using drugs and are choosing instead to embrace things like art and community building.
Pagosa Springs: June 8-11 in partnership with SJBPH
Ignacio: June 12-15 in partnership with SJBPH and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe
Montezuma County: June 18-21 in partnership with Montezuma County Public Health
Dolores County: June 22-25 in partnership with Dolores County Public Health
Silverton: June 28-July 1 in partnership with San Juan County Public Health
“The people that live in Southwest Colorado are incredibly resilient, whether facing challenges like drought or a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic,” said Adrian Uzunian, SJBPH’s Director of Public Health Innovation. “After a challenging year, we hope these murals provide an outlet for youth to interpret what resilience means to them and to give them the space to remind community members where our strength lies.”
The ominous news cycles of the last year have been hard on everyone but particularly on young people. Painting murals with the theme of resilience highlights a positive characteristic of our region and gives local teens an outlet to express themselves through art. The content and themes that will be depicted in the murals come directly from local youth who will be active participants in the painting of each piece of art.
To learn more about Rise Above Colorado, please visit https://www.riseaboveco.org/.
Chandler Griffin is Communications Director for San Juan Basin Public Health District. SJBPH is a local public health agency, governed by a seven-member local Board of Health, serving all residents of La Plata and Archuleta counties.