I've met a lot of you guys, those of whom happened to pass by and honk or come out to speak to me, while I was painting on Powers. And I've never seen anything like that painting before, never have I had a chance to paint in my neighborhood before either. Probably never will have another chance. So I want to take this second to thank you, everyone, but ask for your support just one more time: I was threatened in early January of 2019, maybe 2 months after I started this project while I was out there painting, actually. A woman whom claimed to be a head of the local Pine Hills Community Council, and a part of our local chapter of Trump's Opportunity Zones, told me that what I was doing was wrong, and that I didn't have a right to do it without consulting with the council first. I told her that I went through all the proper channels to get it done, and she told me that it didn't matter and then handed me a list of things that she wanted me to paint as she pointed to the extant murals that she also wanted to be painted over.

She gave me a choice of either abiding by that list or facing all the trouble that they could throw at me and specifically mentioned to me that they could have this wall torn down under their volition if I didn't go along with it. I didn't understand what she meant then but I knew that she was serious. I refused and I know what it meant now: from a third party source I've learned that Orange County now owns this wall and plans to demolish it, and just as well that a lot of people didn't want me to know about it. But I know now.

We just wanted to add to some of the character that small businesses like these lend to our area and fix a desolate wall that's been ailing the neighborhood for over a decade, but instead a business that's been in the area for about 40 years is soon to be gone and dozens of workers uprooted. I don't know why exactly, and feel terrible to think that our actions might've caused that.

I sent an email to the Pine Hills community council within the hour of that threat to detail what happened to me, they told me not to worry about it or her. I asked for her name and was told that it didn't matter. It took maybe 3 months after that incident before I even learned her name, and a long time afterward for me to decide if it were even worth repeating in the event that it would put me or anyone involved in the way of any harm. And I've decided that a whole truth, for me, all the artists, and all my neighbors who've come out to support us is worth it- and if Bertina Busch cares about our neighborhood like she's said then transparency here will not be an issue.

Orange County owns this wall now and it's up to them to say what will happen to it. I doubt a petition will sway them much. My intention is to see that this reaches them and that they could say publically what has transpired- for me, the artists and all my neighbors to understand what happened here and why all our hard work and admiration for this is responded negatively. Orange County praised this wall on social media when it was in the Orlando Sentinel and on the news, but they're spurning money to destroy it now? what has changed? Did I, or anyone involved, do something wrong? If you've read or signed this, forward the message to County Commissioner Siplin and Mayor Demings so they'll say something. 

My email here, if anyone needs to contact me about anything, thank you for reading! And thank you Pine Hills for being there. 

- Scharlestin@knights.ucf.edu