What started as a collaboration between the Oakland Unified School District’s (OUSD) Special Education department and its Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) program has expanded into a districtwide initiative focused on inclusive education. The “Canvas of Inclusion” project engaged over 2,000 participants in creating murals at three OUSD schools, aiming to highlight disability inclusion and educational equity.
The project was led by muralist Kyle Holbrook, known for his work with the national Moving Lives of Kids initiative, and coordinated by OUSD Disability Access Coordinator Aruna Subramanian. According to Jennifer Blake, Executive Director of Special Education and Health Services, “When you give young people the tools to create together, barriers disappear. These murals prove that universal design doesn’t just improve access–it strengthens entire communities. We’re seeing ripple effects across athletics, partnerships, and daily classroom interactions that will shape our district for years to come.”
Each school’s mural reflects both its unique identity and the district’s commitment to inclusion:
– Lockwood STEAM Academy features a 3,000-square-foot mural along International Boulevard celebrating community strength and honoring late Oakland Athletics player Rickey Henderson.
– Montera Middle School transformed a central wall into a 300-square-foot piece highlighting student diversity.
– Fremont High School hosts an 80-foot-tall mural recognized as the most architecturally complex in the initiative.
Students played an active role in designing these works. Holbrook stated, “Oakland’s youth, particularly those in special education programs, weren’t just participants, they were co-creators. Their courage and creativity reminded everyone involved that true education means ensuring every voice shapes our shared future. These walls now tell their stories.”
In addition to creating art, each campus reviewed its accessibility practices—including physical spaces and instructional methods—with findings already influencing district strategies for upcoming school years.
Thomas Demerath, a special education teacher at Montera Middle School, said: “Watching our entire campus community engage with the emerging artwork, through painting sessions, classroom discussions, and spontaneous conversations, showed us what inclusive education should feel like. Every school deserves this kind of collective experience.”
Lockwood art teacher Mayzie Zechini noted students studied disability rights history before starting their work: “Our students explored disability rights history, studying pioneers like Ed Roberts and Judy Heumann, before picking up paintbrushes. Watching Kyle teach alongside me redefined what inclusive arts education can achieve.”
Montera art teacher Rebecca Recco highlighted student involvement: “The project intentionally centered students who face the greatest challenges, entrusting them with crucial mural sections. The finished artwork genuinely reflects our community because every member helped shape it.”
John Christie at Fremont High connected the murals to ongoing student-led projects: “This initiative amplified existing student-led art movements like our Faces of Fremont portrait tradition. Seeing learners embrace both individual and collective creative expression confirms that Fremont prioritizes the artistic voice of every student.”
With these murals completed as the new school year begins, OUSD reports increased discussions about access and representation across campuses. The effort has also encouraged new collaborations between departments and inspired similar initiatives elsewhere.
“Witnessing communities unite around inclusive artistic expression has been profoundly moving,” said Subramanian. “These murals remind us daily that when we design for everyone, we create stronger learning environments. The partnerships formed between special education and other departments are just beginning.”
