In 2017, the Iron Mountain Downtown Development Authority and the Svelata Foundation worked together to raise funds for the mural through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Public Spaces Community Places program. The Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity was used to raise funding towards a matching grant.

Donors who gave more are featured on the new donor plaque. Top donors include Laborers Local 1329, donating $2,500, and the Lilja Family Trust Foundation, donating $1,000. Others donating $1,000 were Steve Mariucci, Stephen Carter, Sandra Wilson and Kristina Brennan.

Additional support came from the Central Upper Peninsula Regional Planning and Development Commission as well as many local businesses and community members.

In addition to the five murals Tavonatti has created with her teams of artists in Iron Mountain, she also completed the largest mural in the U.P., “Discover,” in Manistique in summer 2018.

DONORS WHO CONTRIBUTED $100 or more are featured on the new Power of Words Project plaque on the “Community” mural at 215 E. Ludington St. in Iron Mountain.

While Iron Mountain will not get any new murals this year, Tavonatti is expanding the Power of Words Project to include a second” mural in Manistique starting this month, Gladstone’s first mural in August and Marquette’s first mural in September, bringing the project into four counties.

For more information, or to contribute to future projects, go to www.powerofwordsproject.org.