The mural was painted by artists Alexandra Allie Belisle, Amanda Ferrell Hale, Noah Humes, PeQue Brown and Shplinton, with coordination by the local arts nonprofit Arts Bridging the Gap. (photo by Edwin Folven)

The Laugh Factory, Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu, 4th District, and local artists unveiled a mural in Hollywood on July 7 to honor lives lost due to racial injustice and to pay tribute to the movement for social and racial equality.

“This mural is an important avenue for Black artists to present societal challenges in a public and impactful way,” said Jamie Masada, owner of the Laugh Factory, located at 8001 Sunset Blvd. “The artwork inspires us to support accountability and meaningful change as we work together to create pathways that heal our nation.”

The mural was created by artists Alexandra Allie Belisle, Amanda Ferrell Hale, Noah Humes, PeQue Brown and Shplinton, with coordination by the local arts nonprofit Arts Bridging the Gap. The mural is located at the northeast corner of Sunset Boulevard and Laurel Avenue, across the street from the Laugh Factory. Ryu’s office provided $15,000 for the project.

“Of all the public art we’ve brought to District Four, this is by far the most meaningful,” Ryu said. “A mural alone cannot achieve justice, but it can play an important role to inform, inspire and keep alive the conversation about the systemic reforms needed in our country. I’m honored to partner with these artists and the Laugh Factory to bring this work to my district.”

The Laugh Factory has served as a staging area for Black Lives Matter and Black Women Lead events during the past two months, with thousands of people gathering to peacefully honor the life of George Floyd and others, and to call for racial equity and equal justice under the law.

“It is an incredible honor to be asked to contribute to such an amazing collaborative creation,” Brown said. “Yet at the same time, it is disgusting and outrageous that there is a need for such a mural in 2020, 157 years after the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. Nevertheless, the support of the community and enthusiasm for the project has given me a great sense of hope that the stain of racism may for the first time in my life be getting its long needed attendance.”