SOUTH BEND, IN – The City of South Bend’s Venues Parks and Arts Department, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and Four Winds Casinos have unveiled a new mural at the Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Center celebrating their partnership and shared commitment to the South Bend community.
“One of our guiding principles at VPA is to bring communities together in vibrant spaces,” said Erin Thornton, Executive Director of Venues Parks & Arts. “This partnership and the addition of such a meaningful piece of artwork at one of our centers is a beautiful reflection of just that.”
Located in the Dream Center gymnasium, the mural features the Medicine Wheel and woodland flowers native to the ancestral homelands of the Pokagon Band. The plants hold cultural significance in Potawatomi traditions, including uses in traditional medicine, as markers for planting and harvesting seasons and as elements of teachings and ceremonies.
The design also incorporates the Dream Center’s signature colors and messages found throughout the facility, including “Dream It, Believe It, Achieve It,” “Don’t Get Mad, Get Better” and “Progress Over Perfection.”
“The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi and its Four Winds Casinos are proud to support the MLK Jr. Dream Center as it builds upon its commitment to provide inclusive and impactful leadership, education, and wellness resources to the South Bend community,” said Matthew Wesaw, Tribal Council Chairman of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. “With its state-of-the-art fitness spaces, educational programs, and cutting-edge technology labs, the center remains a beacon of hope and progress, inspiring, uplifting, and connecting youth, adults and seniors.”
“The partnership between the Pokagon Band, its Four Winds Casinos, and the MLK Dream Center will support new experiences and programming designed to extend the Dream Center’s impact throughout the community,” said Mary Smith, President and CEO of Four Winds Casinos. “The collaboration will help create opportunities for residents of all ages, building on the center’s mission to provide a welcoming place for learning, growth, and connection.”
