CHARLOTTE — A mural along Nations Ford Road in southwest Charlotte serves as a call to action for the community and honors the lives of two young girls who died by suicide earlier this year.
The mural, led by artist Rosalia Torres-Weiner, commemorates the lives of 13-year-old Gabriela Ortega from Durham and 11-year-old Jocelynn Carranza from Texas, both of whom died by suicide.
The letter on the mural is written from the perspective of children.
“We were just young girls full of dreams,” Rosalia read from the wall. “Now, from the other side, we speak. Words matter. They can would or they can heal. They can divide, or they can unite.”
Jocelynn’s school district in Texas confirmed that a student bullied her over the family’s immigration status.
“This cannot happen again,” Rosalia said. “This is a dedication. And this is a community call to action.”
Rosalia had the help of two other artists for the project, including Eva Crawford.
“My favorite thing to do, because I love realism and marrying it with this very graphic, beautiful Mexican painting style that Rosalia has, was the homework page,” Crawford said.
Now, the homework is simple: be kind and respectful.
“Think about what you say daily in the smallest way. How does it impact others,” Crawford asked. “You just don’t know people’s stories, you don’t know what’s behind their masks, and just that word of kindness makes such a huge difference.”
Both Crawford and Rosalia will dedicate the mural this Saturday.
(WATCH BELOW: Family turns tragedy into action with new mental health support website)
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