The Lamoille Art & Justice Project merges public art and oral histories to create connection and community for rural BIPOC Vermonters across generations. Our goals are to bring awareness to the enduring inequities within our region, and through the collaborative movement, activate change at all levels, from the governing bodies to businesses, to schools and individuals. Through the painting of murals at the Stowe Recreation path and Stowe Middle School, designed by Vermont-based muralists Juniper Creative Arts, we seek to grow civic engagement and build understanding within our communities, opening space for dialogue at the early end of education and across generations. Local volunteers of all ages will help paint the murals, which will be inspired by community readings and conversations facilitated by our collaborators. A QR code painted into the mural will link to the website, where podcasts, photos, and other media resources will be available for ongoing learning. Lamoille County, like the state of Vermont, is largely rural and white, at 96.9%. But communities are constantly changing and diversifying. These changes are both a challenge to meet and an opportunity to grow. Vermont’s Executive Director of Racial Equity Xusana Davis identifies this time as a crucial moment, saying Vermonters need “more education about the collective harm of racial inequity and the collective benefit of equity. (We) cannot survive the economic, legal, and demographic tolls of inequity.” Utilizing the power of art, literature, oral histories, and podcasts by people of color, this project will bring together local artists, educators, students, allies, and organizations in advancing racial equity and for the benefit of BIPOC living, learning, and working in those same communities. A grant from Awesome Without Borders will provide vital support needed to bring these stories and voices to life through vibrant public artworks.