07/25/2025
New mural at bilingual preschool relocated from Eaton fire addresses loss, healing, and belonging. Read on for the full story.
Thank you to , , for your partnership, lead artist Calen Blake, and and for directing this project.
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Rayuela Uno () was of the many schools affected by the Eaton fire in Altadena, California. Founded in 2015 by Liliana Martinez, the dream was to create a bilingual preschool where children could learn her mother tongue, Spanish, while offering support to immigrant families. After the devastation in Altadena, Martinez refused to give up. She did everything she could to relocate her students to a space where they could stay together, providing a safe haven for
families who had lost not only their school, but also their homes and sense of community.
Good Shepherd Lutheran School welcomed Martinez and her students onto its campus, where the children were met with warmth and care. To help bring healing through art, in partnership with the architectural firm and lead artist Calen Blake stepped in to support.
On June 14th, a group of Gensler volunteers, led by , came together to paint a mural. Each year, Gensler sponsors two murals for Los Angeles public schools. “Art is a necessity. We know it plants beautiful seeds in the students,” said Hergert.
“The hardest part was finding the physical and emotional strength to support the affected families while holding space for our teachers and racing against time to find a place where we could reunite,” said Martinez. “Those were weeks filled with intense work, uncertainty, anxiety, and fear. But we formed a beautiful team that gradually came back together with the families and kept our mission and purpose alive. Thankfully, we’ve received incredible support from individuals and institutions. The mural has brought a sense of belonging
to this new chapter.“
