A ribbon-cutting was held Wednesday for Owensboro’s newest mural, which encourages the community to “Be the Change” by helping intervene in dangerous situations such as dating violence and bullying.
The mural was commissioned by New Beginnings Sexual Assault Support Services and promotes their Green Dot Program, a a nationally recognized strategy started in Kentucky that focuses on preventing violence.
The owners of local tattoo shop Hooded Crow submitted the winning design — a lion’s head with the words “Be the Change” to the side.
“The lion represents having the courage to make a choice to do something to reduce any type of violence,” said Daniel Southard, Prevention Educator with New Beginnings.
Southard said the Green Dot program gives people the tools to intervene in a situation like dating violence, sexual assault or bullying.
The program teaches the “three Ds,” which are to direct, delegate or distract.
Southard gave the example of coming across a couple in the middle of an argument, as a bystander might not know if the situation is high-risk.
“You can directly go over and intervene, which would be saying something. But you might not be comfortable with that,” he said. You can do something else, like delegate. Delegate means going and telling somebody else that’s maybe more in power — someone like a teacher, coach or parent, someone you trust that you know is not going to tell those people you said anything. Then there’s distract, which is simply going over and doing something like asking if you can borrow a cell phone just so for the time being, the situation is put to an end.”
Southard said the mural gives people in the community to promote anti-violence in Owensboro.
“They can take a picture with it and symbolize that they are going to be a person in our community that wants everybody to know that dating violence, bullying and sexual assault is not OK,” he said.
Southard also credited the work of Ronda Howard, Prevention Coordinator at New Beginnings, for her work with integrating the Green Dot Program in the community.
“She’s been doing it for 10+ years and she’s really passionate about getting it in the schools and helping students understand that they can do something, and helping those students that need help know that there are peers and people around that are going to be there to step in,” he said.
Crystal Dawn, who co-owns the Hooded Crow tattoo shop with her husband Mike White, said they were glad to be a part of a project with such a good purpose.
“We just want people to take a stand and do what’s right,” Dawn previously told Owensboro Times when they were chosen to do the artwork. “If you see somebody do something that they’re not supposed to, especially when it involves kids, you definitely need to say something. We’re parents and we just care about the younger kids and the next generation coming up.”
Larry and Rosemary Conder donated the space for the mural, located on the east side of the Simply Chic building at the intersection of 3rd and Allen streets.
“Rosemary and I are honored to help New Beginnings promote awareness of the Green Dot Program to prevent violence,” Larry Conder previously told Owensboro Times. “The owner of Simply Chic, Debi Ford, is a huge supporter of Downtown too. The message the lion portrays is significant to show that Owensboroans care and speak out for each other.”
Brad Youngman, New Beginnings Board Chairman, said he was proud that so many local people came together to promote the anti-violence in Owensboro.
“I am particularly happy with this project because it empowers the community to do the right thing,” he said. “I love that it is positioned downtown and near the judicial center and I am grateful to Rosemary and Larry Condor for allowing the use of this space.”
Karla Ward, executive director at New Beginning, previously said they are hoping to continue spreading awareness of the Green Dot program.
“Ultimately our goal is to make Owensboro a Green Dot city,” she said. “That means that we have been able to train a certain percentage of people to be able to have gone through this training.”
