Boys & Girls Club of Malibu unveils Kindness Mural

Council members, safety personnel, and Malibu Middle/High School students participate in the kindness pledge 

Boys & Girls Club Malibu held a special dedication event on Thursday, May 25, to unveil its latest project, the Kindness Mural.

Throughout the month of May, the BGCM Wellness Center, through partnership with Malibu Public Schools, hosted a series of activities open to Malibu youth on school campus. Each week, the center focused on honoring mental health awareness and offering resources to students. The events were included in classroom presentations, on-campus kindness pledge, educational activities through the center’s substance abuse prevention program Brent’s Club, and more.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Malibu Executive Director Kasey Earnest said this was the third event for Kindness Week. They hosted kindness events at Webster and Malibu elementary schools and recently had their Kindness Carnival where it was all about celebrating each other and being kind.

“Really this is a launch to hopefully something bigger and where we are reminding our kids what they should be vs. what they shouldn’t be,” Earnest said. “We know that bullying is an issue, we know that kids are suffering from being bullied and we are reminding kids of what they should be, they should be kind, they should be inclusive and be respectful.” 

Nearly 500 community members including club members, Malibu middle and high school students, faculty members, and elected officials were in attendance and participated in a Kindness Pledge. 

“We have to be kind in our community and our society, and we love that our leadership in all level acknowledges the kindness pledge; we’re just happy that they want to be in partnership with us,” Earnest said.

The pledge was followed by signing the mural as a symbol of their collective dedication to kindness and inclusivity towards all individuals. 

The mural was created by local Malibu artist and club alumna Alice Howe.

“I brought the colors of Malibu High and the Boys & Girls Club; it wasn’t easy but it was fun,” Howe said. “And now that the kids signed it, it completes the whole participation and the meaning of the mural.” 

The event also included various activities such as a live DJ, snow cones from a shaved ice truck, and grilled hot dogs.

Last month, the organization recognized National Prevention Week, a movement dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of drug prevention and positive mental health. Teens discussed the dangers of fentanyl and other popular drugs. They had an open discussion about how to say “no,” how to support their peers, and examples of resources on and off campus.