Lawrence is now home to a Parade of Hearts installation called “Inclusion Starts with the Heart,” celebrating acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities.
The heart was installed Monday at the southwest corner of the intersection of Massachusetts Street and North Park Street, right next to South Park.
Parade of Hearts is “is a one-of-a-kind public art experience that celebrates Kansas City’s creativity, culture, and compassion — all through the symbol of the heart,” according to its website. “Launched in 2021, Parade of Hearts set out to unite Kansas City through art.”
The artist for Lawrence’s heart is Morgan Espinoza of the Kansas City Individual Engagement Committee of Easterseals Midwest, according to the website. The heart was intended to portray the message that “everyone deserves to be seen, valued, and a part of the community.”
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“Our group is made up of professionals in the disability field, headed by our lead artist and Art Coordinator, Cassi Weaver, and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Autism, who live in and serve the greater Kansas City area,” according to the Parade of Hearts website about the work.
“As creative individuals, we aim to uniquely highlight the importance of acceptance, inclusion, and integration for people with disabilities in our community,” the website continues. “The colors and symbols in our design represent the diversity of disabilities and serve as a call for acceptance, inclusion, disability pride, and full participation in society.”
See more hearts around the region on the Parade of Hearts website at theparadeofhearts.com.
Lawrence also had a special heart unveiled in 2022 to celebrate the Jayhawks’ national championship victory.
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Nathan Kramer (he/him), a multimedia student journalist for The Lawrence Times since August 2024, is a senior at Free State High School. He is also a news photo editor for Free State’s student publication, where he works as a videographer, photographer and motion designer. See more of his work for the Times here.
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