LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM COUNCILMAN JIM GRAHAM

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.,
Suite 105
Washington, D.C. 20004

202-724-8181
202-724-8109 fax

jgraham@dccouncil.us
jim@grahamwone.com
www.grahamwone.com

Chairperson
Committee on
Public Works and The Environment

Voting Member
Board of Directors, Washington
Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

May 23, 2007

Ebony Blanks
DC Commission of the Arts and Humanities
410 8th Street, NW, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20004

Dear Ms Blanks,

I am pleased to support the "Summer Mural Project" sponsored by the Midnight Forum and the Columbia Heights Shaw Family Support Collaborative. The Summer Mural Project, based in Ward One will be the pilot project for a city-wide effort to create murals in areas that are frequently hit by illegal graffiti and gang related graffiti. I am proud to have funded the city wide effort through the Committee on Public Works and the Environment beginning in fiscal year 2008.

The Summer Mural Project is a youth development oriented approach to eliminate illegal graffiti and replace it with murals designed and painted by Ward One young people. The Midnight Forum and Collaborative will work closely with my office and the Department of Public Works in identifying locations that are routinely tagged by illegal graffiti and locations that are high profile that will demonstrate the effectiveness of the program.

This initiative promises to be a model for the city wide effort to remove graffiti and at the same time to support the development of young people's artistic capabilities.