BE KIND
TO YOURSELF
Make It OK is a community campaign to reduce stigma by starting conversations and increasing understanding about mental illness across Iowa. Join the movement to Make It OK in Iowa!
part of the Make It OK Campaign
The Make It OK Mural was created in May of 2024 as a permanent reminder of the importance of mental health, and to reduce mental illness stigma in Cedar Rapids. It is a part of the Make It OK campaign’s work to raise awareness of mental illness in communities across Iowa.
The mural was painted by local Iowa artist, Van Holmgren, on the CarePro Health Services Building at 402 10th Street SE in Cedar Rapids.
If you are visiting the mural snap a picture of your self with it and tag us on social media with #makeitokiowa!
About the Make It OK Mural
Van Holmgren was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and raised in central Iowa. He has worked as a professional artist for 10 years and as a full-time artist for the last six. His work has been shown across the United States and as far as London, Australia, Canada, and Brazil. There is a certain visual vibrancy that is consistently seen in his work, be it with color or content. Art is an idea, a way to present a statement to the universe and shout as loud as you can.
Van’s inspiration for the mural was simple, “Mental and physical health are both equally important to well-being. Brain plus heart equals…brain heart!”