“A Story Best Lived In,” summarizes the essence of the My Greeley campaign. We kept hearing from our residents and visitors that you have to experience Greeley for yourself to understand the unique civic pride we share among each other. The City of Greeley asked artists to submit a mural idea that reflects the spirit of ‘My Greeley,’ highlighting the community experiences and diversity within Greeley. Two University of Northern Colorado students, Kalika Browder and Olivia Khaliqi, responded to the call for artists and were excited to share their idea for experiencing Greeley.
The team created a new paver mural painted on the 9th Street Plaza, establishing a fun, celebratory focal point that provides a unique opportunity for residents and visitors to the downtown area to step into the campaign and take a walk in their shoes. The theme of the mural is shoes and how they represent various groups of people in the community. Some of the shoes on the mural include cowboy boots, ballet shoes, roller skates, moccasins, beaded sandals, heels, cleats, hiking boots, and more.
The artists made a connection between the shoes people wear and their life experiences. “The best way to learn about another person’s experiences is to walk a mile in their shoes,” Kalika Browder said, “shoes are one of those things that everyone wears – they are a part of identity, style, and culture.”
Co-artist Olive Khaliqi said, “they represent the lives we’ve walked and the stories we’ve experienced. So what better way to represent the people of Greeley from all walks of life than shoes?”
“I would love for people to stand on the mural and actually take pictures of their own shoes and kind of share their story is best lived in,” Kalika said. If you take a photo at the mural and share it, tag it #MyGreeley, so others in the community can share your experience and maybe imagine walking in your shoes.