For the launch of our new CLU Live! podcast, we are thrilled to share our conversation with artist and visionary, Alex Cook, whose works of art — specifically the “You Are Loved” mural project, aim to uplift individuals, communities and society.  

A native of Southern California, Cook currently resides in Boston, MA.  Since 1997, he has created 110 murals across the nation and abroad — 46 of which are a part of the “You Are Loved” project.  From schools, faith communities, homeless shelters to correctional facilities, you will see the words: “You Are Loved” and other words of affirmation boldly proclaimed.

"My sense of the 'You Are Loved' message is that it's unequivocally true about every single being.  I don’t want [it] to be limited to schools, churches, or even public spaces.  I want this message, the purest, most innocent, most powerful message to go to the places where it is least understood, or least felt and where people are most in need.  And sometimes that’s the place where it could be most powerful in affecting change in someone’s thinking, someone’s feeling about their life,” Cook explains.

In this episode, we discuss the significance of positive thinking and conversation, its necessary place in our world today, and the power of art as a vibrant invitation to engage and inspire others.