Artists: Junior Polo, USF Students, Local Community Members, United Way Staff Members
Year Created: 2020
Location: University Area Community Park Annex – 14012 North 22nd Street, Tampa, FL 33613

About: In 2020, the University Park Annex Mural took shape as part of University Area CDC’s community outreach efforts. Seeking input from the community, University Area CDC staff solicited ideas from residents as to what they wished to see in their surroundings. The community responded with diverse paragraphs, laying the foundation for a collaborative project.

Guided by artist Junior Polo, a creative synthesis of the community’s ideas emerged as the mural’s design. USF students and local community members actively participated in bringing this artistic vision to life, along with staff members from United Way during their “2020 Week of Caring” event. Together, they transformed aspirations and words into a visually compelling representation that resonates with the shared identity and desires of the community.