Sharing the American Spirit

Xavier Cortada, “Sharing the American Spirit,” 2002.

During June 8-11, 2002, Xavier Cortada travelled to Salt Lake City, Utah to create “Sharing the American Spirit” — the official mural of the Points of Light Foundation Annual Conference. Conference participants joined First Lady Laura Bush in adding messages to the commemorative piece.

The First Lady’s message, hand-written on White House stationery, read:

We will never forget.
God bless America.

–Laura Bush

ABOVE: During the Conference’s closing plenary, Cortada (projected on big screen) dedicates the collaborative mural to all those who were killed on September 11th, 2001– and to the volunteers who keep their memory alive by “sharing the American spirit.” Mr. Cortada’s speech preceeded the First Lady’s address to the 3,500 volunteers from across America present.