Reaching Out

We opened the doors of an empty storefront to everyone and asked the question, “what does healing look like?” With words and drawings, people answered the question and shared their experiences. The resulting mural is a picture of connectivity.

This mural is about the journey to recovery. The columns are a symbol that are part of a much-used recovery handbook. They are intended to represent the pillars of strength that are available to those seeking to overcome addiction. The “columns” can be family, employment, relationships, etc. The recovery pamphlet emphasizes the fact that a strong structure of well-constructed and connected columns over your head provides protection, on an emotional level, from the world.

This mural also emphasizes that connection is antithetical to addiction. That’s one of the main themes that emerged from community engagement. Connection and addiction are binary opposites. The more someone feels disconnected, the more they are susceptible to addiction; connection is one of the best ways to overcome it. That’s why the hands are reaching out for each other over waves, an image of turbulence. There’s also a woman helping someone up to walk down a path that depicts a pathway toward recovery as well as the need to help others and receive help. On the right, the woman’s face with a circle of people superimposed further strengthens the need for connection and community: there’s something special about connection that’s more tangible than we give credence to.