CASA of Fresno and Madera Counties, in partnership with the Fresno Grizzlies, unveiled the “Voice that Empowers Foster Youth” Mural of Hope in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Chukchansi Park on Thursday. The first-ever outside mural for the Grizzlies can be seen at the stadium’s front entrance.

“We had this idea a year and a half ago. People come to Chukchansi for an event for sports and music, so it took a few phone calls and connections to find out if we can do this and it was a quick yes. There was no hesitation,” executive director of CASA Wilma Tom Hashimoto told GV Wire.

“We’re very proud to be able to be the home of this beautiful piece of artwork and for all that it stands for,” said Grizzlies President Derek Franks.

Related Story: Save Mart Center Is Among Top 100 Venues in the World

Empowering Foster Youth Through Advocacy

The nonprofit organization trains over 200 volunteers as Court-Appointed Special Advocates to be a guiding voice by empowering youth (300 annually) in foster care to reach their full potential. The mural’s purpose is to inspire people to get involved with advocacy work.

“As a board member watching, seeing, and participating in this, it’s amazing what this group of people can accomplish. It’s amazing that we can represent what is happening out there in our communities with events and artwork like this,” said Richard Wendt, chief operations officer of Noble Credit Union.

The Fresno Arts Council provided $20,000 for the mural through the Measure P sales tax. The grant also provided art classes to the youth, which allowed them to be involved in the mural project.

“This mural is important because we know the impact that the arts have on society. The arts provide a message sometimes that people don’t see or hear otherwise,” said Lilia Gonzales-Chavez, executive director of the arts council.

Related Story: Publicly Funded Cen Cal Cinema Kicks Off Free Movie Events

Community Support and Recognition

In attendance were the CEO of Downtown Fresno Partnership, Elliot Balch, and Joshua Babcock, representative of Nathan Magsig from Board of Supervisors District 5. They also praised the artwork, its meaning, and how it can impact the city.

Artist Steven Camacho Nunez was commissioned to take on the project. Nunez used to work for the Grizzlies so for him the project was extra special.

The idea took 10 to 15 minutes to sketch out with people’s feedback and seven days to complete. Spray paint and acrylics were used to make the piece, he said.

He received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Congressman Jim Costa, District 21, for his efforts.

Related Story: Get Your Tickets Now. Big Acts Coming to Fresno in First Half of 2025.

A Vibrant Representation of CASA and Fresno

The image displays “CASA” in the middle with the downtown backdrop of buildings, a fig, and the old bank sign with the “G” on it. Included in the corners are the logos of CASA, the Grizzlies, and the FAC.

Will Chukchansi Park serve as a canvas for other murals?

“I think this is just the beginning of something really cool. CASA has not only done something really special here in this partnership, but they’ve opened up a lot of eyes to the possibilities to do more so we’re looking forward to that,” said Franks.