Vancouver Students Find Healing Through Art After Lapu-Lapu Day Tragedy
Students at John Oliver Secondary School in Vancouver are using art to heal after witnessing a tragic incident at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival on April 26th. The festival, held near their school on East 43rd Avenue and Fraser Street, was the site of a car attack that resulted in 11 deaths and numerous injuries. Now, students are creating a mural and participating in other initiatives to reclaim their space and support their community.
Mural Project: Reclaiming the Space
This fall, students will create a mural on the walls of the school's basketball and tennis courts, which overlook East 43rd Avenue. According to Aether Rocero, a recent graduate of John Oliver Secondary School who witnessed the attack, the mural "reminds us that it's not just bad things that had happened on that street. It's, in a way, reclaiming." The mural is envisioned as a way to express grief and celebrate the community's resilience.
After volunteering at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival, Rocero described the atmosphere at school the following Monday as "really, really sad and just depressing and quiet." He found solace in painting, stating, "These are actually my feelings on a page, on a wall. It's just another way to express that grief, as well as that pride of the community, and how much closer we had gotten after everything happened."
Art as a Therapeutic Outlet
Mar Cortez, a local artist who had been working with the students prior to the tragedy, opened a classroom in the immediate aftermath for students to express themselves through art. "Sometimes, really there's just no words and that's why I really like to offer that tactile movement of making art," explained Cortez, who is spearheading the mural project. The mural will feature colorful ribbons, students playing and planting seeds, sampaguita blossoms (the Filipino national flower), and a phoenix rising from the ashes.
The imagery aims to celebrate Filipino culture and remember those affected by the tragedy, while also fostering a sense of moving forward. Cortez emphasizes the importance of expressing grief, stating, "There are times where the grief is real and heavy — I have this ethos of being able to express it is better than holding it in. They are trying to build their life around this tragedy and still be teenagers at the end of the day."
Community Initiatives and Support
Beyond the mural, John Oliver students have engaged in various initiatives to support healing and community building, including a run club, friendship speed dating, clothing and food drives, hip-hop dance, basketball, hiking, leadership programs, and mental-health facilitation groups. These programs are supported by a grant from community organizations and stakeholders meant to aid those impacted by the tragedy.
Alison McKenzie, director of The Landing Youth Centre, one of the organizations involved, praised the students' resilience and optimism. "These youths are incredible," she said. Rocero hopes the mural will remind people to celebrate the Fraser Street community and Filipino culture, adding, "There is a light at the end of the tunnel. You just have to keep walking."
