The Mural Movement was founded by Delilah Martinez in June 2020, during the protests following the murder of George Floyd. As businesses boarded up their windows, we turned thoseboards into canvases, painting murals in support of Black Lives Matter and Black and Brownunity. What began as a response to a moment of pain became a movement.

Today, The Mural Movement is a Chicago-born, nationwide public art and community impact501(c)(3) that uses art as a catalyst for connection, healing and direct action. We have led 235+murals and art activations nationwide, including 100+ murals rooted in Pilsen, the neighborhoodwhere our work began. Each mural is created with intention and community involvement, sopeople see themselves reflected on their walls and feel seen, heard and valued.

Whenever there's a social justice issue, an economic hardship or a moment of loss, we show upwith art. We've used murals and community events to raise awareness on human trafficking,women's safety, healthcare access, voting, COVID vaccines and HIV testing. We also lead arttherapy for families who have lost children to gun and gang violence and for young people whohave lost their parents, turning grief into remembrance and healing.

But our work extends far beyond the wall. We serve thousands of Chicago residents every yearthrough food pantries, grocery giveaways, back-to-school drives, our annual Turkey Drive, toydrives, community cleanups and emergency relief, all rooted in dignity, accessibility and care.Through Operation Buyout, we support local vendors and small businesses by purchasing theirinventory directly and reinvesting in the neighborhood economy, most recently standing withstreet vendors affected by ICE raids.

Our commitment to young women lives through Big Sis Club, a mentorship program that givesgirls ages 13 to 19 a safe, affirming space centered on self-confidence, self-love, life skills andexposure to women leaders doing impactful work.

We also partner with corporations to create social impact from the inside out, curating muralsand art pieces in offices and stores so their spaces reflect the communities they serve and theemployees who power them. We proudly collaborate with the Chicago Bulls, Lyrical Lemonade,Caleb Williams and the Caleb Williams Foundation, merging art, philanthropy and visibility tocreate change at scale.

Our home base, Vault Gallerie, is the heart of the movement: a community art gallery andcreative hub where murals, mentorship, givebacks and cultural moments meet. There we havehosted artists, organizers and figures such as Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose.

At its core, The Mural Movement is a people-powered ecosystem. We believe art should live inthe streets, programs should meet real needs, and culture should be paired with action. For thepeople. By the people. Always.