The west staircase in the Kansas City Museum allows access to the main floor, second floor, and third floor of the building. During renovations, artist Zachary Laman painted three murals, one for each floor. Although Laman is originally from Arkansas and includes inspiration from his home state within his work, he is also heavily inspired by Kansas City and locals in the area.

The "Portraits of Us" murals on the back staircase are more than what they appear. Each inspiring person featured in the mural is placed next to a native Missouri bird, and the clouds in the background signify moving forward as well as moving upward towards justice and unity. The first mural is that of Yackelin Hernandez, a Cuban immigrant who settled in Kansas City in the early 2000s. The artist, Zachary Laman, had the opportunity to have Yackelin as a neighbor, and she impacted both him and his family through her generosity and care.

On the second landing, there is a mural of SuEllen Weissman Fried. SuEllen impacted the Kansas City area through her activism, calling for an end to bullying by promoting kindness. In 1982, she co-founded Reaching Out from Within, a rehabilitation program for those who have been incarcerated. This program encourages a transformation within those who are incarcerated, turning to kindness and preparing for re-entrance into the community upon their release. SuEllen's husband, Harvey Fried, was the owner of the garment manufacturing company, the Fried-Siegel Company, and fought for the preservation of the garment district in Kansas City. Both SuEllen and her husband positively impacted Kansas City over the years.

The final mural is of Jimmy Beason II, otherwise known as Pahuska. A citizen of the Osage nation, Jimmy is a professor in the Indigenous and American Indian Studies department at the Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas. This university has a rich history spanning back to 1884 when the first students attended the school for grades one through five. Over the decades, it evolved into the university that it is today, offering courses to prepare Native Americans and Alaskan natives for their futures. Today, around 1000 students are enrolled each semester and the university incorporates Native American and Alaska Native culture into its coursework. Jimmy's involvement at the university allows him to teach and inspire youth, and spread his message. Jimmy focuses on the empowerment of Native Americans, sovereignty, and decolonization, and encourages the use of traditional teachings. His work encourages Native American youth to embrace their cultural heritage, while also fighting for better treatment and respect in the United States.

The murals represent the many facets of Kansas City and the empowerment of all people within the area. It reminds us of the importance of justice and unity and supporting one another along the way.

1. About, Reaching Out from Within. Accessed April 18th 2022. https://www.rofw.org/mission-impact.
2. Kansas City Museum, 3218 Gladstone Blvd., Kansas City, MO, 64123 (accessed March 8, 2022). Wall Plaques: Wall text. Portraits of Us, Kansas City Museum, Kansas City, Missouri.
3. School History, Haskell. Accessed April 18th 2022. https://www.haskell.edu/about/history/.