New Mural Helps Unite the Community to Make Hollywood Beautiful, Clean and Safe

 Hollywood Village celebrates a partnership among local stakeholders with the unveiling of street art that honors everything that makes Hollywood great.

A new mural that pays tribute to everything Hollywood was unveiled Saturday August 21 in the heart of “Hollywood Village”—the name of a community-wide initiative to reimagine Hollywood and make it beautiful, safe and clean. 

Created by muralist Juan Pablo Reyes who goes by JPmurals, with the help of 20 other artists, it honors the city’s heritage. 

“I have been painting murals for over 10 years throughout greater Los Angeles and beyond,” said Reyes. “My mission is to use mural art as a platform to bring people together and inspire others to advocate for a positive change within their own neighborhood.” 

 

Reyes’ task was to restore a mural created 30 years ago on the barrier wall that separates the 101 Freeway from the north side of Hollywood. Located on Tamarind Avenue, the mural, known as “Hollywood’s Village” has become a tourist attraction and JPmural’s makeover is sure to make it even more popular than before. The new mural pays homage to Hollywood as the entertainment capital of the world. It includes hidden shout-outs to movie and TV icons from Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers to Harry Potter and Hogwarts, ET, Bambi, Nemo and Dory, Bruce Lee, Danny Trejo, Garfield, and Clifford the Big Red Dog. 

 

The event began with a blessing from Charles Alvarez, chairman of the Gabrielino-Tongva Tribe whose ancestral lands extend from Palos Verdes to San Bernardino and from the Saddleback Mountain to the San Fernando Valley, including all of Hollywood. He spoke of the enthusiasm and dedication of the Hollywood Village initiative and its purpose of addressing challenges and revitalizing the community. “Set your goals high so you can achieve your ambitions,” he said.

Guests were treated to the lively mariachi music of Detective Chris Reza and LAPD Hollenbeck Station’s Mariachi Band, Los Servidores. In addition to barbecue provided by Hollywood Village, those attending were invited to sample specialties provided by local restaurants and bistros that sponsored the mural, including La Poubelle, Domino Pizza, Al Wazir Chicken, and Tommy’s Burgers. 

While the last-minute touches of the event were put in place, Hollywood Village volunteers gathered at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre for their monthly neighborhood cleanup. Each month they take off at 9 a.m. from the Church of Scientology at 5930 Franklin Avenue and fan out through the district from Netflix on Sunset and Van Ness to Gower and Franklin.

One of the basic purposes of Hollywood Village is to help individuals experiencing homelessness. Homelessness is a serious issue. These cleanups may not solve the problem, but at least they can be helped to live cleaner and happier lives while they get back on their feet.

Before the pandemic began, Hollywood Village launched an initiative that was part of the day’s cleanup activities. Called “Cash for Trash,” they invite those living in nearby encampments to join in the cleanup. Those who do so are paid hard cash for every pound of trash they collect. 

After the cleanup, volunteers hand out copies of The Way to Happiness, written by author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard, which marks its 40th anniversary this year. Since its first publication, the common-sense moral code has been used as a guide to help people change the course of their lives. With it, one can “map a new one. And try to follow it. There is no person alive who cannot make a new beginning.”

The Hollywood Village cleanup takes place the third Saturday of every month. It operates with the support of many community organizations and local businesses and schools, and is proud of its diverse, ever-expanding team of volunteers—individuals of all faiths and backgrounds brought together by their shared purpose to uplift their community and make Hollywood Beautiful, Safe, and Clean.

For more information, visit hollywoodvillagemural.org.