Highland Park dedicated a “You Are Not Alone” mural Oct. 9, placing an anti-bullying message on the north wall of The Art Center. Take No Bullying founder Chris Falcon, artist Tanner Woodford and city leaders gathered for the public ceremony. The Record North Shore reported Oct. 12 that the location links Falcon’s childhood experience to the nonprofit he later founded, while the layered design makes the words appear as viewers move closer. The newspaper described the mural as encouragement for people who may be struggling.
The mural measures 8 by 12 feet and sits on the exterior wall of The Art Center at 1957 Sheridan Road. It was made from three large wood panels. The Chamber of Commerce described the materials as selected with sustainability in mind; The Art Center calls them colored plywood panels, float-mounted on the north wall. The dedication was free and open to the public from 10 to 11 a.m. The Chamber listed the address, artist, commissioner and funder before the event, and the Oct. 12 newspaper report confirmed the dedication took place.
Falcon commissioned the project and Take No Bullying funded it, according to the Chamber and The Record. The newspaper reported that Falcon attended nearby Indian Trail Elementary School and was bullied as a child. He said the mural carries words he needed to hear when he was young. The Record reported that the experience left him with a deep sense of loneliness. Years later, looking at the Art Center wall, he recognized its position kitty-corner to the school. The connection gives the site personal meaning for Falcon, who said the mural faces almost exactly where the bullying happened.
Woodford designed the mural after Falcon approached him with the idea. The Chicago artist is known for large-scale typographic work, with projects at Navy Pier and the Chicago Botanic Garden, according to the Chamber. Falcon told The Record that seeing Woodford’s work at Soho House Chicago made him want to meet the artist. Woodford said viewers first see color and form; the words emerge as they approach, a reveal he compared with support arriving before someone fully registers it. He used yellow as a warm tone, brown to ground the design and gold that catches sunlight.
Mayor Nancy Rotering issued a proclamation recognizing October as Bullying Prevention Month, according to the Chamber. The Record described it as Bullying Awareness Month in Highland Park. The newspaper reported that the city identified a need to address bullying in 2015 and responded with a citywide campaign. Rotering hoped the mural’s outdoor visibility would remind people to be kind, reach out to one another and start conversations.
Take No Bullying describes itself as a community-based prevention organization. Its About page says the founding group included local business owners, professionals and parents, each with a personal connection to bullying. Falcon started the nonprofit in 2016 after drawing on his own experience, The Record reported. The newspaper also describes him as a motivational speaker who uses his story to encourage others. The organization lists awareness events, educational workshops for parents and students, and mentorship among its programs. The organization also lists fundraising events, focus groups and student activity scholarships among its community outreach and educational offerings. Its About page includes educational and local resources.
The Art Center’s executive director, James Lynch, suggested using the building’s outside wall, and Falcon agreed, The Record reported. Falcon said he is now focusing on public-art messages and sees art as a way to bring people together; he believes communities need more unifying messages. The Chamber announcement says the mural was commissioned in April, several months before the October dedication.
The Chamber said the mural was intended to resonate with people of all ages and backgrounds. In the same announcement, Falcon said he hoped someone would find its message at a moment when they needed encouragement. On the north wall of The Art Center, three colored panels now carry those words in a shared public setting.
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