Share Our Strength, a nonprofit organization committed to eradicating hunger and poverty in the United States and abroad, runs the No Kid Hungry campaign, which is dedicated to ending childhood hunger. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the issue, to the point where 1 in 6 children in the U.S. could face hunger this year.
One of the new ways No Kid Hungry is mitigating the crisis is through the use of art, so they reached out to renowned fine artist Désirée Kelly for help. No Kid Hungry’s request was simple: paint a mural in the heart of Detroit that highlights the issue and inspires people to act. Kelly answered the call and delivered, and the mural was formally unveiled on Friday, Sept. 24.
“I wanted to relate to the community and people who are in the area, and it’s something that I aspired to do when I was growing up as a young artist,” Kelly said in an exclusive interview with rolling out.
Born and raised in Detroit, Kelly tells stories through portraits, utilizing a mixture of street art and a traditional oil technique. Her work has garnered national acclaim and attention.
Still, Kelly’s focus is on impact, not making pieces to simply be admired.
“When I do get asked to do a mural, I hope that it really resonates with the community and means something, and is not just a piece of art,” Kelly said.
To accomplish the goal of impact for No Kid Hungry, Kelly fittingly drew inspiration from the very people the campaign is aimed at helping: children.
“One of the [Detroit Public Schools] kids asked, ‘What if a magic wand could make COVID go away?’ ” Kelly relayed. “And then it clicked in my head: superhero.”
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