Colorado Women Turn Boarded Windows Into Protest Art

DENVER (CBS4) - Over the past week, two Denver artists have begun a new mission to turn the boards covering up businesses' windows into canvasses for change. So far, the majority of their work has been at the Denver Sports Castle at 10th Avenue and Broadway.

Armina Jusufagic and Karlee Mariel are two of the artists behind the variety of murals on the iconic Denver building. The two connected earlier this year with the hopes of making murals for essential workers who are still providing crucial services during the pandemic. When protests broke out following the death of George Floyd, they shifted their focus.

"I'm humbled to be able to contribute to something that's so much greater than myself," said Mariel.

The two artists started their work last week, with a mural of George Floyd, as well as a large "Black Lives Matter" mural.

On Monday, the women were finishing up a mural of former NFL star Colin Kaepernick, who stirred up national controversy in 2016 when he protested police brutality and racial inequality during the national anthem of NFL games. On the bottom of the mural is the phrase, "American Icon."

Throughout the last week, the pieces of art have continued to attract admirers, people looking for photo-ops, and people who disagree with the artists' message.

"Seeing the people stop by and give us positive feedback just make me want to keep working harder," said Jusufagic. "We've had a couple people stop by and ask us why we are painting Colin and why we think he's an American icon. I love to engage in dialogue and explain why we've chosen these people because I think it's important for people that might not understand."

For Mariel, who grew up in Minnesota, the George Floyd mural hits closest to home. On it, she painted "Daddy changed the world," a phrase Floyd's daughter said last week.

"Those words for me are true," Mariel said. "Her daddy did change the world."

While the boards won't stay forever, the women plan to keep painting. For them, art starts conversation, and that's where change begins.

They're also hoping a business will open up its walls or be willing to showcase the work that's already been done elsewhere.

"We'd really like to find places and local businesses that are interested in being part of the movement," Mariel said.

The two artists have started a GoFundMe page to raise money for supplies.