While Katie was the Arts Project Coordinator for the Milwaukee Public Library Mitchell Street Branch, Katie became extremely involved in the community. She joined the Mitchell Street BID’s Arts Committee and became a strong supporter for some of the local businesses including Lopez Bakery. In March or April 2019, a drive-by shooting shattered the front window at Lopez Bakery. Fortunately, this incident happened in the early hours of the morning, so no one was in the building and no one got hurt. That being said, it left Lopez Bakery with the headache and financial burden of cleaning and fixing the window. Even with insurance, the cost was a lot during what was their off-season.

The Mitchell Street BID Art Committee was planning Temporary (RE)Surfacing. This was a project based off of a 2014 & 2016 immersive urban video project and Katie proposed that the artists help beautify Lopez Bakery’s window as a part of the event. Katie pitched the idea to LUNA and the group was excited to not only work on their first mural together but to help a local and beloved establishment. LUNA, after all had often hosted our monthly meetings at Lopez Bakery! LUNA was given a modest honorarium for materials provided by the Mitchell Street BID and the rest of the materials were donated by artists in the group. The mural stayed up for many months until the window was eventually replaced. Cindy Lopez loved the mural so much that they carefully took it down and kept it inside the bakery which you can still see today!