Ahlan wa Sahlan was a large scale mural created in collaboration with local youth of the 7Hills organization. Through my residency, smaller scale projects were realized with the youth, yet there was a desire to make a statement piece at the skatepark, the focal point and gathering space of 7Hills and Al-Raseef’s work. Ahlan wa Sahlan means “Welcome” in Arabic, the font you see in orange on the right side of the mural, with the blue lettering saying 7Hills. The youth of the organization wanted to create a piece that reflected the values of the community, a place that creates connection and excitement through art, movement and skateboarding. The final aspect of the mural was the lower portion of the wall, where youth added additional statements and paintings to show even further the values of the community.