“Frida, symbol of hope and inspiration”

The 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck central Mexico on September 19 tugged at the heartstrings of the inhabitants of Mexico City since it hit the country on the 32nd anniversary of the catastrophic 8.1-magnitude earthquake which caused over 10,000 deaths as well as extensive material losses and damage in the city in 1985.

Thus, Celeste Byers an urban artist from Ocean Beach in San Diego , California , decided to paint a symbol of hope and strength for those who lost everything in the recent tremor.

On the facade of the house numbered 192 on Durango Street , in La Roma quarter , Celeste Byers painted a mural dedicated to Frida , the Mexican rescue dog who has saved more than 50 lives in a series of natural disasters in the country and abroad.

In an interview with EL UNIVERSAL , Celeste acknowledged that she feels a strong affinity for Mexico adding that she painted Frida because the local heroine is a symbol of both hope and inspiration.

"Being in the United States and looking at the catastrophe from afar made me feel sad because I spent a lot of time in Mexico City and it was sad to see that a place I love was devastated by the earthquake," Byers said adding that several friends of her in Mexico were joining together to help each other, thus she wanted to help. “That is the main reason why I painted Frida."

Celeste Byers has painted murals in the United States , Sri Lanka , Vietnam , New Zealand , Australia , and Mexico .

Particularly in Mexico, Byers participated in an artistic initiative called Unidos Somos más Cool ( United We Are Cooler ) with Mexican artist Ana Lucia Tejeda . The project aimed to bring together a Mexican artist and an American artist to show unity between the two countries in spite of the current political situation.

"I decided to participate in the “ Unidos Somos más Cool ” initiative to show that not all Americans feel the same way as the followers of Donald Trump ," she concluded.

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