See The Murals Inspiring Students At Hillcrest Drive Elementary In Baldwin Village

LOS ANGELES, CA — At the beginning of this school year, Hillcrest Drive Elementary students arrived every day to the same tan walls.

Now, portraits of influential and inspirational people from various ethnic backgrounds line the walls of the school, making the learning environment more vibrant. Dedicated teachers, a talented muralist, and some help from Lowe's were instrumental in making it happen.

Hillcrest was one of 100 recipients of a grant from Lowe's as the company marks its centennial. Through the 100 Hometowns grant, the company helped fund projects across 36 states and provided volunteers to get the projects finished. Hillcrest was the only Los Angeles-area project.

First-grade teacher Rachel Axelrad and other staff wanted Hillcrest students to see something more inviting and inspiring as they arrived on campus and walked the halls. So, a committee of teachers, staff members, and parents began searching for an artist and raising money on GoFundMe.

Right down the road from Hillcrest is a mural by Kodjovi Sevon, that a parent pointed out. Sevon, who moved to LA last year from Philadelphia, has several art pieces around city including one of Kobe Bryant and Nipsey Hussle close to Hillcrest.

Axelrad contacted him on Instagram to ask if he was interested in helping with the project.

"He was the first artist who was really excited to come be a part of this," Axelrad told Patch.

Sevon was interested, and the project began in earnest.

"Before the Lowe's grant, we really had limited funding, and (Sevon) was extremely generous with his time and talent and energy," Axelrad said.

The murals around Hillcrest feature inspiring activists, artists, athletes, and more, including Martin Luther King, Jr., Chadwick Boseman, Simone Biles, and Frida Kahlo.

The faces on the wall reflect the students' own diverse backgrounds. Hillcrest, in the Crenshaw area, has a student population made up of Black and Latin American students.

"It was really, really important to us that students were looking at figures — activists, change makers, heroes — who look like them, and that they see themselves in that lineage of greatness," Axelrad said.

Some of the inspiring faces on the walls are portrayed as kids themselves, including Ruby Bridges, Sylvia Mendez, and Audrey Faye Hendricks.

"We want to inspire the kids to be change makers," Sevon said. "Even if they're...in elementary school, they can still make a change in this world."

The money from Lowe's helped pay for Sevon's supplies and time. Lowe's also sent volunteers to help with other parts to the mural around campus.

Sevon is part of the school community, now, too — as he spoke to Patch via Zoom, he was wearing a Hillcrest Elementary t-shirt. He said students come up to talk with him and give him their opinion; they like the portrait of late actor Chadwick Boseman the best.

And, while Sevon paints inspiring people, he is also serving as inspiration. He said several students did not know they could grow up to be artists for a living until they spoke with him.

"They'll come to me and they'll say, 'how much do you get paid for this?'" he said. "And I just responded and I tell them, 'a lot.' Not to be cocky or anything, but just to inspire them and just to let them know that they can make a lot just doing what they love, whatever it is, whether it's painting, dancing, playing a sport, (or) playing an instrument. I just think this is a small nod for them to follow their dreams because I'm doing that myself.

"When I was a kid, they used to tell me that there's no money in art, that artists are broke," he continued. "It deterred me from following my dreams...I don't want to do that to any other kid, I want to do the opposite."

You can see more of Sevon's work on his Instagram page.