TITLE: Title
Authorization to Donate $500 to the Carrboro High School Class of 2021 Mural Project
PURPOSE: The purpose of this item is to authorize the expenditure of $500 from the Town Council contingency fund for the purposes of supporting the fundraising efforts to install a mural for the 2021 Carrboro High School graduating class.
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DEPARTMENT: Town Clerk
CONTACT INFORMATION: Cathy Dorando
INFORMATION: Andressa Thorne and Jane Ogawa emailed the Town Council with the request detailed below:
From: Andressa Thorne [<mailto:andressathorne@comcast.net>]
Sent: Monday, May 03, 2021 8:20 PM
To: council <council@townofcarrboro.org <mailto:council@townofcarrboro.org>>; Lydia Lavelle <LLavelle@townofcarrboro.org <mailto:LLavelle@townofcarrboro.org>>
Cc: jtsuetaki@gmail.com <mailto:jtsuetaki@gmail.com>; AndressaThorne <andressathorne@comcast.net <mailto:andressathorne@comcast.net>>
Subject: Request from Carrboro High School Class of 2021
Dear Mayor Lavelle and Carrboro City Council,
We hope this finds you well and healthy.
We are parents of seniors at Carrboro High School and both our children are members of the Student Council.
The long-term effects of what we just lived through are years away from being fully understood yet already psychologists, pediatricians and social researchers are sounding the alarm about what superficially this generation of high school upper-class students are still going through. The topic is a feature in outlets ranging from the New York Times, NPR, morning shows, and medical journals. They are all referencing the loss of key developmental milestones, countless social engagements and activities that never happened, lost in a moment of their lives never to return and the stunning number of students dealing with depressing to say nothing of repression waiting to surface.
Like missing their moment of birth this lost time of learning self and community can’t be recreated or made up for. These students graduating next month, have not been in school most of this year (their senior year) and half of their Junior year was also taken away from them with no celebrations whatsoever such as prom and other events. Their memories of the last two years of high school will be as you can imagine...
The senior council came up with the idea to celebrate and honor these students by giving a mural painted by Carrboro muralists Michael Brown and Lauren Pease as gift to their school community.
Murals tell our community what and who we care about, what historical events need to remain in our hearts, not just for the times we live in but for future generations. We, as a community, we need to tell these children that we see them and acknowledge this trauma and that we recognize that what they are living through in not normal, or fair, nor will it be easy to move on from. A mural will tell them that it is okay to feel sad about what they lost. That acknowledgment is key to their eventual healing. Please help us provide that validation and reflection.
Here is the scoop:
The student council is looking for a grant to raise the needed funds for this mural project. The mural will be on the Carrboro High School outside wall facing the football stadium and athletic fields. They are currently working with the artists to determine the theme/impact that they want the mural to convey to the community.
The seniors are planning to fund raise though a raffle but would appreciate any size grant for this mural project if the city can provide. Unfortunately, the funding is needed by May 30 due to the ever-changing landscape of this pandemic. The amount that they are trying to fund raise for is $2000.
Thank you for your consideration and we would be happy to have a conversation to answer any questions you may have.
Warm regards,
Jane Ogawa ( jtsuetaki@gmail.com <mailto:jtsuetaki@gmail.com>) and Andressa Thorne (andressathorne@comcast.net <mailto:andressathorne@comcast.net>)
A resolution authorizing this expenditure is attached.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: The fiscal impact will result in the appropriation of $500 from the Town Council Contingency Fund.
RECOMMENDATION:r It is recommended that the Mayor and Town Council approve the attached resolution.