We Are
Many Stories. One Community.
SEPTEMBER 25, 2026
What Becomes Possible When We Come Together?
In 1961, three Black teenagers, Weida Allen, Margaret Nichols, and Augustine Fields, took a stand against segregation by sitting at the whites-only lunch counter inside this former Greyhound bus station in Paris, Kentucky. They were arrested, but their courage inspired a community to come together, sparking a year-long boycott that changed their town forever.
More than six decades later, at this very site, WE ARE weaves together hundreds of self-portraits into one tapestry. Each represents a person, a story, and a place in our shared community.
Look closely and you’ll see blank spaces in the tapestry. Each serving as a reminder that there is still a place for you.
Our hope is that this mural will inspire another generation to consider the role each can play in shaping our community’s future. Our story is still being written, and what happens next is up to all of us.
Find Your Place in the Tapestry
Search for a name or explore the rows to discover the people who make up WE ARE.
*Portrait created in honor or memory of a loved one who had passed away at the time the mural was created.
The Story Is Still Being Woven
WE ARE is a portrait of this community today, but the story doesn’t end here.
Our community is still becoming. And so is the difference we can make.
Every portrait tells a story.
Together, they tell ours.
A Collaboration Rooted in Community
Together, TapUStry Collective and Creative Sparks brought the vision of WE ARE to life, combining storytelling, artistic expression, and community participation to create a lasting tribute to the people of Bourbon County.
TapUStry Collective was founded on the belief that our individual stories, woven together, create a fuller picture of who we are. WE ARE brings that idea to life, creating a literal tapestry of hundreds of people and stories across Bourbon County. Rooted in the legacy of The Paris 3, the mural connects the community that stood together in 1961 with the generations shaping its future today.
Creative Sparks brings a longstanding commitment to using art as a means of building connection. Drawing on its creative expertise, Creative Sparks transformed the often-daunting process of creating a self-portrait into an accessible and engaging experience. This made it possible for people of all ages and artistic abilities to participate, inviting hundreds of individuals from across Bourbon County to contribute their own unique expressions to WE ARE.
