Since the Road to Well-Being program was first imagined, its purpose has been clear: connect with community through education and outreach. For this reason, it was a top priority that the van’s look reflected that commitment, leading WellPower to enlist a local artist dedicated to community well-being.

A Unique Design for a Unique Program

A Colorado native raised with the Rocky Mountain panoramas and Mile High City skyline, Karma Leigh has found inspiration for both her art and her teaching from the Denver scenes around her. With a broad set of self-taught skills and a portfolio spanning mediums, Karma is a painter, muralist, curator and .

The van design’s funky, flowy style is reminiscent of the coloring pages Karma has created in the past. “It’s an element of my artwork that I don’t get to do enough,” she said. “I knew it was important for the van to have a unique look out on the road,” she explains, adding that the bright, sunny colors helped to enliven the free-flowing design.

Karma Brings Her Impact to WellPower with Voz y Corazón

Her unique artistic style was not the only reason WellPower selected Karma to design the van. Karma spent five years as an art teacher with WellPower’s Voz y Corazón program, which was designed with the goal of empowering Denver youth through community-based support, mentorship and artistic .

Michelle Tijerina, Voz y Corazón’s community coordinator, describes Karma as an engaging and collaborative mentor and someone dedicated to serving her community. “At Voz y Corazon, Karma always showed up as an educator and collaborator first,” Michelle explained, adding that Karma was able to build trust with students by encouraging self-advocacy within themselves and in their communities.

“Once you start creating art together, it helps young people lower their guard and talk about more serious mental health topics,” Karma said when discussing the impact of Voz y Corazón and the importance of using creative tools and programs to educate on mental health awareness. “These changes take time, so you have to make those deposits early on,” Karma added.

Designed by Community, for Community

The goals of the Road to Well-Being program have always centered around connection with community through innovative mental health education. Between Karma’s impressive portfolio, her love for the Denver community and the dedication to mental health education she found teaching at Voz y Corazon, there was no hesitation in partnering with Karma to design the Road to Well-Being van.

Follow this link to check out more of Karma’s artwork.