The Courage To Give

In the summer of 2024, I had the honor of designing The Courage to Give, a mural commissioned by ArtWorks in partnership with LifeCenter Organ Donor Network. The mural lives at Thatcher Flats in Walnut Hills, Cincinnati, and was created alongside a team of 12 ArtWorks youth apprentices and teaching artists. This piece was designed to tell a story of community solidarity, transformation, and renewal. A strong woman of color gazes upward, surrounded by bold, uplifting colors and shapes that suggest movement and life. Interwoven throughout are stylized motifs representing organs, tissues, and eyes — a way of honoring donors and symbolizing the profound impact of organ donation. One of the most moving elements of this project was incorporating the words of double-lung recipient Jennie Wright: “Above all else, let love be your legacy.” Her story and her message anchor the mural in both gratitude and hope, reminding us that the gift of donation is also a gift of love. Creating this work in collaboration with ArtWorks and LifeCenter was a privilege. Together, we were able to celebrate the legacy of donors, honor the lives touched by donation, and encourage others to become registered donors.