COLUMBUS, Ohio — A mural painted on the side of a Linden building on Cleveland Avenue is causing quite a stir on social media, mainly because some want it changed.
On Tuesday, a Facebook post quickly spread from community members expressing concern, stating that a tenant in the building wanted the mural removed. Over 1,600 people signed a petition from OSU's Linden Murals of Empowerment group supporting the mural.
The tenant, Dawn Redman, said there's been some miscommunication.
“We definitely are not saying that this is not beautiful, this is not gorgeous, the colors are absolutely wonderful, but this is not what we contractually agreed to,” Redman said.
Redman said she doesn't want the mural removed, just wants to make some adjustments.
She says she already met with the group and community partners in November and came to an agreement to make some changes once it's warm with the kids help. Redman says she hopes this will be a teachable moment for everyone.
"We sat down at the table where we were able to negotiate exactly what we needed to do. And that's what we have to do within the community, we have to be able to talk, negotiate, and get our problem solved,” says Redman.
Quincy Morris, 7, says when he first saw this mural on Cleveland Ave he had to take a picture because he loves how he can see himself in it.
"The mural makes me feel like the people who made it made lots of effort in it,” Morris said. "I like how it looks and I don't want it to change just yet."
Redman is hosting a community conversation event this Saturday at 5 p.m. at her building at 2102 Cleveland Avenue and invites all community members to come and hear the agreed upon negotiations.