TAMPA, Fla. — The University Area neighborhood is changing for the better. Over the last year, Junior Polo, originally from Haiti, is to thank for the artistic development in the community.
Junior works for University Area CDC as an art teacher and he creates a lot of art, murals, sculpture and more! Polo really enjoys teaching and working with the kids. So much so, that he involved his students in helping install sculptures like massive PEACE, HOPE, and LOVE signs.
Polo said he didn't want to come into the neighborhood and start putting up sculptures without input from locals. He says these new murals and sculptures that you see and will continue to see are ideas from the community. Junior actually has meetings with people in that community and asks what they want to see.
At first, many people didn't like the change, until they saw how involved their neighbors were. Now, Polo says they had a change of heart and feel a need to protect the new installations.
More from Jabari's Brightside segment highlighting Beautiful People positively impacting their communities:
RELATED: Beautiful People: Erica Sutherlin inspires beyond the stage for the production of 'Dutchman'