Last month, Herriman’s Columbus Adult Education Center hosted city officials from Herriman and Bluffdale, immigrants learning English, artists and various top brass from local copper mine Rio Tinto Kennecott in an emotional unveiling of a brand-new mural at the center. 

On Jan. 28, over 100 people packed into the center’s cozy basement to get their first glimpses of the mural, which was donated by Kennecott and stands 15 feet tall and eight feet wide on three walls. The towering mural, which includes two mirrors facing each other, was conceived over a year ago.

Attendees listened to Rio Tinto Kennecott’s managing director Nate Foster, Sandy-based mural artist Roger Whiting, Columbus Center Administrative Directors Shandra Madsen and Todd Madsen and Herriman Mayor Lorin Palmer explain what the center and the immigrant community mean to them. They often spoke in Spanish, but when speaking English, center volunteer Francesca Bernal was on hand to translate.

Calling the mural “an ode to mining,” Foster explained that copper mining in this area began 122 years ago, and immigrants have played a vital role in building the company into what it is today. “In the 1920s, there were over 40 documented nationalities in the Herriman area,” he said. “I can’t wait to hear how the center is impacting people.”

Before creating the design for the mural, Whiting collaborated with a team from Rio Tinto Kennecott, discussing how to beautify the center while depicting the shared history of the mine and the community. 

“I wanted it to be a tribute to immigrants and the past, present and future of Herriman,” he said. 

The center serves teens and adults, and Whiting consulted teenage students about what it means to be an immigrant. “I asked, ‘What’s important that you brought from your countries?’” the artist said. 

The resounding responses were faith and family, and Whiting’s goal became to demonstrate these values in the mural, suggesting to the viewer that we can all be part of something bigger. 

“We can all have faith to be part of the family here and have faith in a bright future,” he said. Teenage students had the honor of applying the first coats of paint to the mural. 

Near the end of his remarks, Whiting used Spanish to explain the mural’s symbols. The bottom left corner shows a group of miners based on historical photos of the Bingham Canyon Mine. The right side shows Kennecott’s current global and diverse workforce next to Herriman City Hall. 

Copper was used to frame the two mirrors, and in the bottom left corner, copper paint was used for the poles. The left mirror presents a pickaxe, a mining tool of the past, while the right mirror displays an electronic device, a tool of the future. “We look to the past to give meaning and understanding to our future,” Whiting said.

The open sky and depiction of outer space inspire and encourage the viewer to look to the future and the importance of copper. The sepia area on the left suggests the past while the vibrant colors on the right depict our world now. 

As Whiting spoke, delighted students and attendees nodded enthusiastically and applauded.

 During his and his wife’s comments, Todd Madsen asked in Spanish how many thought the center was a special place, and dozens of hands shot into the air. Of the 285 adult students at the center, about 80 attended the event, and as the center also serves over 100 children, the facility has
become strained. 

“We remind you always, no matter where you are, to trust each other, work together as a community and trust in your Savior, Jesus Christ,” Shandra Madsen said, wiping tears from her cheeks. “We’re so thankful our paths have joined with your paths because you make our lives better. And you are an inspiration to all of us. You’re inspired by faith and dedication just like the early immigrants to Utah. You never give up, and we’re so proud of you.”

The final speaker of the evening was Palmer, who is also fluent in Spanish, though he began his remarks in English. 

“What I love about the mural is it will outlast all of us and serve a purpose beyond this,” he said. “It will bring this community together.” 

Concluding his comments in Spanish, the mayor became emotional as he spoke directly to the students of his admiration for them. A few also wiped their eyes as
they listened.  

After the ceremony, students expressed their profound gratitude for the center while enjoying cake and mingling with other attendees.

One attendee, Aldo, is from Chile and has lived in Utah for two and a half years. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Aldo had dreamed as a youth of living in the state where early Church pioneers settled. He has been able to live with his daughter here in Herriman. 

Before leaving Chile, he was a business administration engineer working for the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics at the Diego Aracena Airport in Iquique. He is grateful he could remove his children from Chile, which experiences significant crime, and he looks forward to watching his grandchildren grow up in Utah and being part of their lives. “[Utah] is a quiet state… with multiple and beautiful landscapes,” he said. 

But despite his love for the Beehive State, his life here isn’t easy. 

“Not knowing the language and current discrimination [are difficult],” he said. “[The center provides] love, patience and selfless help... [I want to] give my thanks to the mayor of Herriman, the Rio Tinto mining company and all the volunteers of the Columbus Center for their dedication and support of the immigrants.”

Another attendee, student Nestor Rojas from Venezuela, agrees that Utah is tranquil and offers security, though adapting to the new culture and way of life is challenging. Rojas has been in Utah for 11 months and came to the U.S. to provide a better life for his wife, three daughters, son and nephew. “My country is not in a good situation,” he said. 

In Venezuela, Rojas worked in security at a state electric company and now works in construction. He is working toward his own home and opening a business. 

To describe what he loves about the center, he said, “The quality of the people, their treatment, how good I felt when I entered the building.”

Long-term plans for the center include also serving local artists and senior residents.

“We’re really grateful to Herriman City and the Columbus Center for being our partners. It commemorates our shared past, and we look forward to the future,” Jen Robison of Rio Tinto’s U.S. External Affairs said. 

The Columbus Center always needs help. Volunteers don’t need to speak Spanish. Visit columbusaec.org/herriman-campus/ for more information. λ