In Summer 2024, Renegade Babe Studio partnered with ArtWorks and LifeCenter Organ Donor Network (now Network for Hope) to design and create The Courage to Give, a large-scale mural located at Thatcher Flats in Cincinnati’s Walnut Hills neighborhood.

Network for Hope/LifeCenter is dedicated to saving, enhancing, and healing lives through organ, tissue, and eye donation, while ArtWorks has transformed Greater Cincinnati into a nationally recognized hub for public art by employing youth apprentices and artists to create more than 300 permanent outdoor murals. Together, these organizations commissioned a mural to honor donors, inspire hope, and highlight the life-saving impact of organ donation.

I designed this mural to feature a powerful woman of color, smiling upward in a gesture of hope and resilience. Bright, uplifting colors and dynamic shapes flow through the piece to symbolize movement, renewal, and life itself. I wove in stylized poppy motifs representing healing, organs, tissues, and eyes — a way of honoring the interconnectedness of humanity and the transformative impact of organ donation.

At the heart of the mural is a quote from double-lung recipient Jennie Wright that deeply inspired me: “Above all else, let love be your legacy.” Her words ground this work in gratitude and love, reminding us that the act of giving is one of the most powerful ways we can shape the world.

The mural was brought to life with the support of 12 ArtWorks youth apprentices led by Teaching Artists Michael Thompson and Yordy Cabrera Garcia. Together, the team created a visual narrative that celebrates community solidarity, honors donor legacies, and encourages Cincinnati residents to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors.

Take a look at ArtWorks: artworkscincinnati.org
Learn more about LifeCenter: networkforhope.org