ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Zulu Painter is behind the murals at the CASA Family Justice and Support Centers along First Avenue North in St. Petersburg.

What You Need To Know

  • The Pinellas African American Heritage Celebration will take place Saturday, Feb. 24

  • St. Pete muralist Zulu Painter has been chosen as the representative artist for the event

  • It will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Florida Botanical Gardens, 12520 Ulmerton Road, in Largo

  • The event is free to attend

One mural depicts a woman with an outstretched hand among the bright geometric patterns, flowers, children and a mom.

“The CASA Mural is a mural dedicated to the idea of a helping hand,” said Painter. “CASA helps children and families to have a safe environment — so I wanted the mural to depict that.”

The multimedia artist will leave his mark on the Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo with a likeness of Betty Reid Soskin — a Black woman and 100-year-old Park Ranger for the National Park Service who retired in 2022.

“It’s an honor to be chosen to be a representative artist for the African American Heritage Celebration,” Painter said

As an African American artist depicting an African American icon of the National Park Service — Painter said it matters for all little children to see artists and Park Rangers that look like them.

The African American Heritage Celebration is Saturday, Feb. 24, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

There will be a Black artisan market, along with music, food and art. The event is free to attend.

And kids are invited to have a part in that art by helping to bring it to life.

Painter has an outline of his subject on a large, heavy gray canvas, which will be laid over tables for children to help complete during the celebration.

“There’s a photograph that she took that she has a bunch of floral stuff all around her,” said Painter of his subject. “I’m going to recreate some of that, so that the kids can come in and add color, and there won’t be any mistakes.”

Many of the children he’ll interact with are elementary school age — which is the age Painter began to pursue art and never looked back.

“There’s opportunities for them to be the artist that want to be — they can be a comic book writer, they can be an illustrator, they can be an animator, they can be so much," said Painter. "They can paint murals across the country—across the globe. Just keep at it.”

Painter hopes to leave a legacy of understanding with this mural and his murals the world over.

“I want people to know that my art and art in general is part of bringing the community together,” Painter said.