Leopold Elementary to Unveil New, Culturally Inclusive Mural for 24–25 School Year

Leopold Elementary School is set to unveil a new, culturally inclusive mural by local artist Rodrigo Carapia. The mural will serve as a greeting to visitors inside the school’s main entrance. The four-panel piece honors Leopold’s Latinx/Hispanic community, and nods to its status as a dual-language immersion (DLI) school.

"This mural was made with a lot of love for the school and the Leopold community,” Carapia said. “My intention was to represent unity, solidarity, culture, love, education and nature—and that art makes all students feel welcome. I want the community to enjoy it and I hope that we continue working toward future artistic projects that we need in our schools and city." 

The project, which will be officially introduced to the community on the morning of Sept. 17, was spearheaded by Cindy Diaz, an MMSD community schools resource coordinator who has been serving the Leopold community since 2022. She felt inspired to reach out to Carapia after hearing directly from families about their desire for increased representation in the school’s physical spaces. 

“One of my favorite aspects of this work is being able to have honest interactions and build authentic relationships with the community and working to provide services, including those that extend beyond the classroom,” Diaz said. “It was important to show our families that their voice matters and we hear them.”

Leopold’s enrollment comprises approximately 300 students who identify as being of Latinx/Hispanic heritage, representing roughly 40% of its total population. 

"Leopold is a school where everyone is welcome, where we can share our experiences and collaborate,” said Anita Alejandro, a Leopold parent. “This mural is an authentic representation of our culture that shows that we are taken into account. When I see it, I feel proud of my culture and of being part of this community.”

As a community school—one of the equity projects the district has committed to supporting in its budget, and as part of the upcoming operations referendum—it connects not only students and families, but neighbors and other Madison residents with critical supports like no-cost health care, academic tutoring, mentoring, food access, and parent leadership opportunities.

“It’s my hope that this artwork will resonate with our students, our families,  our staff and all who support our mission,” said Marisa Flowers, Leopold’s principal. “It exemplifies everything we strive to be here—bright, united and welcoming—and I’m grateful to all who had a hand in bringing it to life.”

As with all MMSD schools, Leopold Elementary opened its doors to 4K and kindergarten on Tuesday, Sept. 3, and is set to welcome all other students on Wednesday, Sept. 4.