Nico’s Trans Mural on MacArthur Reflects Diversity and Inclusion

by Charles McGuigan 04.2022

Nico Cathcart had already primed the wall—from sidewalk halfway back to the alley—along the north side of the building that houses Buffalo Firefly and True North Yoga & Wellness on MacArthur Avenue. She held a thick piece of yellow chalk in one hand, straight edge in the other, and she methodically gridded the wall with one-foot squares, all in preparation for a mural that has been about four years in the planning. And now she would paint it, using a scissor lift when she needed to reach greater heights, in a little over two weeks. 

The mural, which is now completed, reflects the prevailing attitudes in Bellevue and the greater Northside that make these neighborhoods some of the most welcoming in all of Richmond. 

On the day Nico began work on the mural, she told me this: “We wanted the mural to talk about  inclusion and diversity.” And so, Nico sought out Aurora Higgs who describes herself as a queer Black trans visionary. “Aurora is a really fantastic activist here in Richmond for the trans and Queer community,” Nico told me. “She sits on the board of Diversity. She does a ton of really awesome things.”

The two first met a couple years back when the pandemic was still raging.  “I was in the Agents of Change Exhibition at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture,” she remembered. “Aurora and I were both honored in 2020 as agents of change. Me for my environmental work, and her for her work with the Queer community.”

So the first thing you see from street or sidewalk is a stunning bust portrait of Aurora who wears a massive floral headdress. “That was made by a costume designer here in Richmond,” says Nico. “And then Aurora is surrounded by different floral elements. They all are symbolic. They were all selected for a reason and most of them are about unity. There’s a whole language that you can have with flowers.”

The flowers sweep back in a gentle curve, drawing the eye to a Carolina chickadee which is soaring upwards, free, beyond the nets of gravity.  And then the images give way to a night sky strewn with glowing objects that could be either stars or lightning bugs. As with all images in Nico’s work, there is reason for this. “The yoga studio is called True North which is kind of named after the North Star,” Nico explained. “And now this space is also being inhabited by Buffalo Firefly, and fireflies and stars look kind of similar.”

Here’s something else about this mural which set it apart from any other mural in city.  “I believe it to be the first mural of a trans person in Richmond,” Nico said.

A few minutes later we were joined by Mary-Lynne Williams and Aliza Sterling owners of Buffalo Firefly and True North Yoga & Wellness, respectively. 

“Nico has been amazing to work with and is basically the mastermind of the whole project,” said Eliza. “As you know, more than anyone else, Charles, we’ve been in the process of doing this for three or four years.”

It was a project that many people got behind. “I would say that we were really to get the whole community involved,” Eliza said. “Our True North community, funding from the Third District, different individuals, and the last funders that really made it possible were the Bellevue Civic Association, and George, the owner of the building.”

Mary-Lynne, who will be offering mediation classes, sound baths, reiki sessions, and even a retail space in the same building under the banner Buffalo Firefly, was equally excited about the mural project, and having located her business in Bellevue. “I stumbled upon all of this almost as if it was divinely guided, and now I’ve gotten to be part of this beautiful project,” she said.

Aliza nodded and said, “With the mural project we’re trying to bring people together. There is strength in the differences between us, and we very much appreciate that.”

“The differences between us make us stronger as a community,” said Nico. “That’s one of the things that makes this neighborhood awesome.”

“And that’s one of the reasons why I chose this neighborhood when I came to Richmond not long ago,” Mary-Lynne said. “I chose the house just because the energy of the house felt good, and the neighborhood energy felt good. And I came over to Stir Crazy and I sat and had tea and I was like, ‘Oh I love this street’ and then I saw the yoga studio and I was like, ‘Oh good a yoga studio nearby.’ And then I met Aliza and ended up teaching a meditation class in the studio, and now I’m opening Buffalo Firefly here. I literally feel blessed.”

When you view the mural look closely at an earring that dangles from Aurora’s earlobe. It is inscribed with a simple message that speaks volumes—“Love is love.” It is nod to one of the most memorable sonnets of modern times, a poem penned by Lin-Manuel Miranda, author of the musical masterpiece,”Hamilton”. And it ends with these four lines.

“And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love; 

Cannot be killed or swept aside. 

I sing Vanessa's symphony; Eliza tells her story. 

Now fill the world with music, love, and pride.”