Staff photo / Daniel Newman Ray Simon, professional artist from Youngstown, shows eighth-grade Austintown students some of his work while pointing out the importance of cultural diversity and inclusion that each painting relates to. Simon’s latest piece, “Breaking Barriers” is planned to see an expansion as the group wants to further inform the public about their call to action.

AUSTINTOWN — An artist from Youngstown spoke to students at Austintown Middle School Friday about the importance of diversity and added historical context with his own artwork.

Along with Dick Griffin and Henry Butler, members of the promotional team, Ray Simon presented his new artwork, “Breaking Barriers,” to eighth graders in the classroom of lead history teacher Ron Johnson.

“We all need to hold America’s hand until she gets well and stop fighting on that journey, to keep moving forward,” Simon said.

The subject matter within the new painting shows the first four African American athletes who broke the color barrier in 1946.

Bill Wills, Marion Motley, Woody Strode and Kenny Washington, of the National Football League, are depicted in the middle of the portrait, under the modern NFL logo with hands of different races sharing the hold of a football.

In the clouds above, Simon explained, the faces of Dan Reeves and Paul Brown are shown watching over the events in the painting. Reeves, former owner of the Los Angeles Rams, and Brown, former Cleveland Browns executive and coach, were the first two coaches to bring black athletes into a franchise.

Simon questioned the students about their knowledge of Jackie Robinson, and how he became the first black athlete to play in the Major League Baseball modern era. Most of the students were aware of Robinson’s story, however, Simon pointed out that the story of Wills, Motley, Strode and Washington is often overlooked.

“I want you to listen to their story because it transcends generations into what we’re facing today,” Simon said. “You’ll understand the world we live in, and it will make you a better person for tomorrow.”

A video narrated by Morgan Freeman followed Simon’s initial comments, which covered the history of the Browns and Rams leading to the breakthrough.

Simon went on to address the importance of race relations, making further connections between the figures in his piece to societal issues.

Simon received an award for “Breaking Barriers” from the Reverend Caviness, Senior Pastor of the Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church. It was presented Monday, Jan. 15 by the Greater Cleveland Chapter of Southern Christian Leadership Conference, founded in 1957 by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

THE TEAM

Henry Butler, Cultural Diversity, Minority Business Opportunities and Development Director of Cleveland said spreading awareness is “What we need to do.”

“To have guys like Simon, who look like him, telling the truth, is what we need,” Butler said. “I work with NFL athletes, and we’re going to take the Breaking Barriers symposium, and have a caravan in all of the NFL cities, to do this same thing we did here.”

Griffin serves on numerous boards of benefactors including the Chagrin Valley Chamber of Commerce. As a member of the 50 Club of Cleveland, Griffin said cultural diversity must maintain its importance.

“After 150 years with this club, they’ve decided that all of the paintings in the building are all of white people,” Griffin said. “Well the world’s a little different today. This painting is now being reviewed by a historical group. I think it’s going to end up in the Union Club.”

The Breaking Barriers team has met with the Cleveland Guardians to expand on its diversity and inclusion project. Griffin also mentioned that conversations with the Cleveland Cavaliers could also begin.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Griffin added. “As I looked around the room, kids were paying attention. Ray does a nice job of communicating with his passion. We’re all very passionate. We have to get it down to this level, you can’t wait until they’re 25 to 30 years old.”

dnewman@tribtoday.com