Navigation Center mural illustrates community

Commissioned by the county’s Office of Arts and Culture, in partnership with site operator LifeMoves, the mural celebrates community connections and was designed in large part through resident participation. 

Hardison asked residents of the Navigation Center how they define home, security and inclusion and those with an artistic inclination left their mark with painted strokes. Many residents welcomed Hardison into the space, they said, and shared their personal stories, which all contributed to the final art piece. The word “home” in Samoan, Spanish and Chinese are included as well.

“It’s amazing to have an artist who can have that kind of connection with people they haven’t met or with people who may or may not have art experience, and to really be able to provide that sense of ownership to the people who call this place home,” Aimee Shapiro, director of the Office of Arts and Culture, said. 

Resident participation was critical to the process, Anat Leonard-Wookey, vice president of Programs at LifeMoves, said. 

“Our clients are often not invited to share their voice, and in fact often their voice is not part of conversations of things that directly impact them, so the power, the being able to be involved in such a clear way, is amazing,” Leonard-Wookey said. 

While housing security is the baseline priority of the Navigation Center, its amenities, resources and shared spaces play in harmony to establish a true neighborhood for residents. The addition of a large mural with bright pinks, greens and blues adds another layer of warmth to the space to counteract the fact that “our clients tend to have histories of being surrounded by concrete and gray,” Leonard-Wookey said. 

The mural transforms the environment, Deputy County Executive Iliana Hernandez said, and gives residents access to art. 

“Unlike art galleries and museums that we have to travel to or pay to get in, this is free for the enjoyment of everyone, it enhances that spaces we’re in,” Hernandez said. 

As a muralist with the goal to create more public art, Hardison echoes this sentiment and believes art’s ability to enrich lives should be widely accessible and experienced. 

Located at 275 Blomquist St., the Navigation Center provides 240 temporary living spaces for individuals and couples as they exit homelessness. The center will be open for two years this May, and is ever evolving, Leonard-Wookey said. In addition to the unveiled mural, an established dental care facility on-site was recently completed. 

“Once you open a site, that is just the beginning,” Leonard-Wookey said. “It’s closed from the construction standpoint but we are constantly looking at what is working, what are the opportunities to support the community differently and to respond to evolving needs. Our sites are never ‘done.’”

As the mayor, Elmer Martínez Saballos said he is proud that Redwood City is home to many of the county’s resources to address homelessness. 

“Homelessness doesn’t recognize city boundaries, people fall into hardship from all parts of our county and most of them find their way to Redwood City,” Martínez Saballos said. “We hear their stories and people want to do more than just get by, people want to rebuild a home, they want to find a community again.” 

The mural is just one way to recognize the community it takes to bring individuals out of experiencing homelessness, Leonard-Wookey said. To be in a space where that connection is prioritized, residents are able to “know there is safety here.” 

“That safety and stability really is the starting point for folks to heal and move forward on their journeys,” Leonard-Wookey said. “The impact of color and plants — those experiences can impact somebody’s emotional well-being, their interest in leaving their room and sitting out in the sun and being open to connection, it does really help folks move out of isolation.”