Art program at Hollywood Park celebrates diversity and culture in the community

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- "Inglewood means community," said Calida Rawles, an Inglewood-based artist. "It means strength. It means diversity. It means beauty and home to me."

Calida Rawles is one of six artists chosen to be a part of a mural program at Hollywood Park. All artists are based in Los Angeles and Rawles is one of two from Inglewood.

The goal of the program is to create a piece that celebrates the diversity and captures the essence of the surrounding community.

"I think art is always very important in ways that it can celebrate various ideas, thoughts and community," Rawles said. "I think having a program that brings local artists is always essential."

"You talk about innovative, you talk about strong, you talk about a City of Champions," said Jason Witt, the senior director of community affairs and engagement at SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park. "That is exactly what this mural program reflects. It reflects the people, the culture and the diversity of Inglewood."

With her love for Inglewood in mind and the help of her team, Rawles created a 26-foot image over the span of about three weeks. She said she's happy with how it turned out and glad she was able to not only represent her Inglewood community, but other diverse artists.

"Being an artist of color, a woman, you're always representing diversity, if you intend it or not," Rawles said. "I'm happy to have a place in art history and be able to express myself and have a voice."

"Hollywood Park is stitched into the fabric of Inglewood," Witt said. "It's important that every person that visits feels welcomed. Every person that visits sees a piece of themselves here."

As this mural was her first public art piece, Rawles said she is glad to have been chosen among the other six artists and hopes this opportunity can open more doors.

"I'm happy to be a part of it and I wanted to create something that Inglewood would be proud of," Rawles said.

Visitors here will be able to see the six finished murals once the retail district at Hollywood Park opens in the spring of 2023.

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