The Emanuel Project has made a huge impact on the kids of the Santa Cruz County Juvenile Hall, but one in particular, Daniel, has continued art projects in Santa Cruz.
Daniel entered the facility as a 14 year old and is now an 18 year old high school graduate taking college courses and piano lessons while detained. Daniel was recently Emanuel’s apprentice when the Emanuel Project visited Santa Cruz in 2012. Daniel has paired up with Elijah Pfotenhauer (left photo), a local artist, to create a mural in the “soft counseling room” at the Santa Cruz facility. Elijah has done many murals in the Santa Cruz community and is volunteering his time and donating leftover paint supplies so that he can make this project happen with Daniel. It is incredibly amazing and enlightening to see Daniel giving back to the facility and Elijah volunteering his time to give back to the community. We must all stay inspired and desire to make this world a better place, one mural at a time.