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BMO and After School Matters spread unity and hope with mural at Chicago’s Midway Airport

September 20, 2022 | Diversity, equity and inclusion

On September 6, BMO, Chicago’s First Lady Amy Eshleman and representatives from the city’s Department of Aviation joined the After School Matters Advisory Board at Midway Airport to cut the ribbon on their colorful and inspirational mural. After being previously displayed in the windows of BMO’s downtown Chicago branch, the mural is now permanently on display inside the airport’s terminal.

BMO is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and to being a driving force for positive change in our communities,” says Fellicia Foster, Managing Director and Head, U.S. Inclusion, Talent & Change for BMO. “This beautiful mural expresses messages of hope and unity, representing the opportunity we all have to create a more inclusive future together.”

After School Matters is a non-profit organization that provides life-changing after school and summer program opportunities to 19,000 Chicago high school teens each year. In 2020, 15 teens and instructors created the mural, “Bubbling Up and Bursting Out,” from repurposed pieces of plywood that once barricaded BMO’s main Chicago branch during the protests. The rainbow mural is filled with inspirational messages and intersecting designs.  

Aligned with BMO’s commitment to Zero Barriers to Inclusion, the mural is designed to express oneness despite difference and the power of inclusion in our communities.

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