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Bike tour of Denver murals celebrates Black artists, mourns Black lives

After protesting in Aurora on Saturday, Quincy Shannon got the idea from his 11-year-old daughter to show people the murals they love.

DENVER — A movement by its nature does not stand still, and a group on Sunday decided the direction they would take. 

“It doesn’t stop because there’s not a large crowd," said Quincy Shannon, a leader in Denver's Black community. "There’s still work to be done and that doesn’t mean that it can’t be impactful, so what are ways that we can continue to bring the community together and show them the value of coming together?" 

On Sunday afternoon, Shannon took an idea from his 11-year-old daughter, Imani. 

She said her family goes on bike rides, and since they like to look at the murals by Black artists and of Black people, she thought her dad should show the murals to other people, too. 

“Just looking at Black beauty and Black art and also just supporting Black Lives Matter but not doing stuff like violent," Imani said. 

RELATED: Listen to some of the voices of Colorado's Black community

The first stop was at 10th Street and Broadway at the old Gart Bros. Sportsman's Castle.

Over boarded-up windows, artists Karlee Mariel and Armina Jusufagic from Zada Gallery painted George Floyd and Colin Kaepernick. 

Credit: KUSA
Artists from the Zada Gallery painted from the perspective of George Floyd's daughter. "My Daddy Changed the World."

On bikes, rollerblades and scooters, the group moved along the Cherry Creek bike path and stopped just before Blake Street to take a look at the mural of Major Taylor painted by Jonathan Pucci.

He was the first Black man to win a cycling world championship which was the second-ever world championship won by a Black man. 

Credit: KUSA
Jonathan Pucci painted Marshall "Major" Taylor, the first African American world champion in cycling.

"It should be more normal to learn about and experience Black culture and not just take it as a trend," Marissa Kelley said. 

The River North Arts District has many murals, and the group stopped by Breonna Taylor's, painted by Thomas Evans, the artist known at Detour, on the wall of Stem Ciders on Walnut Street. 

RELATED: Denver artists create murals featuring Elijah McClain, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor

The last stop was a mural also painted by Detour of Elijah McClain, the Black man who died after being held in custody by Aurora police. 

RELATED: Elijah McClain demonstrators gather in Aurora

“Something like this, although it’s not shouting to the masses, is very much a part of the movement cause we’re bringing community together," said Shannon. 

Credit: KUSA
A violinist and a cellist play in front of Elijah McClain's mural painted by Detour. His family says he played his violin to shelter kittens.

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