WICKER PARK — A mural by renowned children's book author and illustrator Dallas Clayton will be unveiled Thursday at an event featuring Chicagoans "who are making the world a kinder place," organizers said.
The #KindComments mural — part of an international initiative sponsored by Instagram — was started and completed on Wednesday.
Clayton posted on Instagram that he was coming to the city to "paint some messages of love and understanding on the walls of your city. With this week starting as it has, I hope to be able to share some small bit of light in the darkness."
On Wednesday, several adults and children had joined Clayton as he worked on the mural on the wall of TOM's Shoes, 1611 N. Damen Ave.
The group also used chalk to write messages of kindness on the sidewalk in front of the shoe store.
With the help of others, Clayton worked into the evening on the colorful mural, which features the message: "You're a wonderful poem!/You're a song and a smile!/You're a wish and a wonder!/ You're a miracle child!/Don't give up on each other!"
At 3 p.m. Thursday, the public can join Clayton at the unveiling — billed as "a celebration of the Chicago community members of all ages who are making the world a kinder place."
Among the speakers at the event will be "inspiring Chicago community members" and "Instagrammers using the platform to build communities of support," said an Instagram spokeswoman. The social media platform is sponsoring the #KindComments initiative. Bailey Lindgren, an associate with the National Bullying Prevention Center, will also speak.
RSVP for the free Thursday event here
According to a news release, "#KindComments is a global initiative to promote and foster positive engagement online. By transforming walls into colorful beacons of kindness, we hope to create positive spaces for people to gather in real life and encourage visitors to take a photo or video in front of the wall and share #KindComments on (and off) Instagram."
The Chicago mural will join other Instagram-sponsored #KindComments murals in New York, Dallas, Washington D.C., Mexico City, Jakarta, Tokyo and Sao Paolo.
