ASpire: No Limits

Mural Arts Philadelphia and Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, of the Grammy© Award-winning band The Roots, worked together to create ASpire: No Limits, a mural by artist Ernel Martinez, celebrating the life of Shawn L. “Air Smooth” White, Ph.D. Dr. White was a community leader, father, and educator who created educational health initiatives on HIV/AIDS as well as sexually-transmitted diseases aimed at young African American men in Philadelphia, before he passed away suddenly in April 2013. A series of workshops, programs, and community paint days accompanied the creation of the mural.

Workshop topics included personal responsibility (Awareness of HIV/AIDS and sexually-transmitted diseases, as well as conflict resolution and anti-violence); wellness (holistic health promotion), and refuge (affirming oneself positively, defining personal goals, thoughtful decision-making).