U.S. Muralist Wows With Unveiling of Her First Community Mural Project in Honduras

U.S. Muralist Michelle Ortiz explains mural project during unveiling ceremony of her mural "Pintando una Nueva Colonia 21 de Febrero" in the neighborhood of Colonia 21 de Febrero in Tegucigalpa. (State Dept. Photo)
U.S. Muralist Michelle Ortiz explains mural project during unveiling ceremony of her mural “Pintando una Nueva Colonia 21 de Febrero” in the neighborhood of Colonia 21 de Febrero in Tegucigalpa. (State Dept. Photo)

TEGUCIGALPA – The U.S. Embassy hosted acclaimed muralist and State Department Cultural Envoy, Michelle Ortiz, for a week-long community mural project. Ortiz, through a grant given by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, worked with members of the Colonia 21 de Febrero neighborhood in Tegucigalpa to create a mural that highlights issues affecting the community. The mural, entitled “Painting a New Colony 21 February,” addresses security, youth empowerment and climate change. The project was made possible through collaborations with Alianza Joven Honduras, which ensured Ortiz’s reception into the community.

A native of Philadelphia, Ortiz was raised by a Mexican father and a Puerto Rican mother. She has traveled to several countries in Latin America sharing her expertise in mural art work. Ortiz will return to Honduras in April to start a second community mural program with residents of the Colonia Estados Unidos neighborhood.