Art in the Heart: West Lakes’ children share their vision
When you walk into the stairwell at the Heart of West Lakes Wellness Center, you’re greeted by a bright, multi-faceted art installation. Made up of colorful crayon drawings, the piece seems to glow with cheer and hope.
Not everyone knows that this installation was actually created by the children of West Lakes to cast their vision of a positive future. It’s a testament to our vision — that children would grow up with hope and return with joy.
Children painting their vision of the neighborhood.
The piece was born during a key event in Lift Orlando’s history. Our city watched as the Camping World Stadium secured hundreds of millions of dollars for renovation while the neighborhoods surrounding it were experiencing the effects of decades of disinvestment. In response, business leaders and residents began conducting meetings, united in the common purpose of reinvesting in one of Orlando’s strongest historically Black neighborhoods. Finally, we discovered Purpose Built Communities, who helped us develop a blueprint to make our vision a reality.
In the middle of these history-making moments, an art project began — an assurance that even the smallest voices of the neighborhood were brought to the table. Children from West Lakes were each asked to create two drawings. One was a drawing of something they liked about their community. The other drawing was one depicting something they wanted for their community in the future. Essentially, they were the same questions Lift Orlando posed to adults in West Lakes, but presented for children! Then, kids drew freely with paper and crayons. The resulting art was turned into a sizable display and brought around the city as a vision of holistic revitalization. It was a way to bring the voices of these kids to the ears of people who could make these dreams into a reality.
This art became a key part of Lift Orlando’s strategic plan. Now, as it hangs in the Heart, you can see each element of our campus reflected in the crayola sketches.
If you’re unfamiliar with the story, we invite you to watch more here. You can also use the QR code beside the art piece to navigate to the video as well.
When you’re holding a meeting at the Heart, stopping by for a class or appointment, or just walking up the stairs, we hope you reflect on the significance of the change that has occurred here. Together with our residents and partners, we’ve taken these dreams sketched in crayon and brought them to life in cement and steel… creating a place where children can connect, learn, and thrive. We’re so grateful to be part of the journey, making these hopes a reality for the families of West Lakes and beyond.
