University Library Unveils New Mural
On Monday, March 18, the Leo F. Cain University Library introduced a striking new addition to the CSUDH campus: a huge mural created by Presidential Artist in Residence Cristina Martinez. The mural, titled “Women in Bloom,” will provide a lasting legacy of Martinez’ collaboration with the campus.
“I like to take these opportunities to have as many people as possible see themselves in my work, especially when it’s going to be on the side of a building like this,” said Martinez. “In thinking about the students, I wanted to incorporate many different skin tones.
“Plus, with this being Women’s History Month, I wanted to create something that would let the women of CSUDH feel empowered, seen, and heard.”
At the unveiling, CSUDH President Thomas Parham expressed his excitement at the bold new mural. “I’m loving what I’m seeing,” said Parham. “The fact that this respected artist chose to display her work here at Dominguez Hills says a lot about our connectedness to the community, which is what we try to do. We try to be not just in the community but of the community.
“I love that the piece shows faces of women of all colors and shapes and sizes, who together are creating a collective image,” Parham continued. “CSUDH is a campus with 68 percent women students, so to be able to see that reflected here, showing women in bloom, aligns perfectly with our campus mission of helping students reach the fullest expression of all they’re meant to become.”
CSUDH Executive Director of Strategic Engagement and Resource Acquisition Nnamdi Okafor was instrumental in establishing the partnership between Martinez and the university. Upon seeing the finished mural, he joined in the excitement.
“It strikes up conversation,” he said. “It’s a really dramatic piece, and I think the variety of colors and shapes will allow Toro students to see themselves in the piece and I hope they feel represented in a new way. It’s something to take pride in.”
Martinez created the original piece digitally, and the unveiling was her first time seeing it at full-scale. “It’s amazing,” she said. “This whole experience was a learning process for me. When you create something at this scale, there’s always that thought that something could go wrong, but this looks really impressive.”
In speaking of her time as CSUDH Presidential Artist in Residence, the Seattle-based artist added, “It’s been a great experience. I feel that my work and I have been so valued. I’ve been really inspired. I came in wanting to inspire students, but am coming away from it super inspired myself! It’s been awesome.”
Cristina Martinez’ “& Still We Bloom” exhibition will continue through May 17, 2024, at the CSUDH University Library Multicultural Art Gallery, 1000 E. Victoria Street, Carson.
Latest News
- L.A. Sentinel: Teachers College of Columbia University Honors Dr. Thomas ParhamSource: L.A. Sentinel Dr. Thomas Parham, president of California State University, Dominguez Hills, will receive the Medal of Distinguished Service from the Teachers College at Columbia University on Tuesday, May 14. The honor recognizes Parham for being a pioneer of multicultural psychology and dedicated to the betterment of society throughout his 35+ years career as […]
- CSUDH Awards $935,000 in Scholarships Through the Toros Teach LA ProgramNearly 150 future educators will soon be ready to join the teaching ranks now that California State University, Dominguez Hills has awarded them almost a million dollars in scholarship funds through the university’s new Toros Teach LA program. In this first year of the program, a collaborative effort between the university’s College of Education and […]
- CSUDH Esports Wins 2024 Cal State CupOvercoming fierce competition, the CSUDH Esports Overwatch 2 Team claimed first place in the second annual Cal State Cup, a one-day bracket exclusive to CSU campuses. For the second year in a row, the tournament was also broadcasted from the Toro Esports Academy, which features a state-of-the-art broadcast booth. Joined by the CSUDH administration, officials […]
- American Physical Society Leadership, an Ecological Society of America Fellow, and expert insights on money, labor, and fitness: May 2024 Faculty HighlightsOur faculty members participate in conferences around the world, conduct groundbreaking research, and publish books and journal papers that contribute to their field and highlight their expertise. We feature those accomplishments and more in this section. To share faculty news, email lmckibbin@csudh.edu. College of Arts and Humanities College of Continuing and Professional Education College of Natural and […]
- Metro CEO, Apple Executive Among Keynote Speakers at CSUDH CommencementThe CEOs of Metro and First 5 LA, along with leaders from Apple, Toyota, the entertainment industry, and philanthropic activism will keynote the six Commencement ceremonies for the CSUDH community on May 17 and 18. The 2024 CSUDH Commencement keynote speakers: More than 4,000 graduates will receive their degrees at CSUDH’s Commencement ceremonies, which will […]
- New Initiative with Toyota Aims to Improve Mobility for Underserved CommunitiesOn April 30, CSUDH and Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) launched a multipronged program focused on transportation equity for the university and its surrounding communities based on the idea of “Mobility for All.” The initial phase of the program will establish the Center for Resilient, Equitable, and Sustainable Transportation (CREST) at CSUDH, made possible by […]