Musician and long time El Sereno resident, Francisco Aguilarios, had an epiphany 8 months ago as he w alked along the L.A. River and under the Broadway Bridge, near Lincoln Heights. He caught a glimpse of a magazine article in a worn out issue of Citizen L.A. that lined his path. The article featured Boyle Heights muralist, Fabian Debora . Upon reading it, Francisco immediately made it his personal mission to find Debora, for he though t, “he is the one” who will restore the faded mural outside of Nate’s Liquor Store on Huntington Drive. It was painted by his friend, El Sereno artist, Richard Ruiz , in the early 1970’s. Today, nearly 30 years later, in its dim glory, the mural’s bottom portion has been replaced with grey paint due to continuous tagging.

Debora grew up at Aliso Village in Boyle Heights and attended Dolores Mission Elementary before growing into a disgruntled teen run ning amok in a disadvantaged area. There he began ‘piecing’ on the streets, trying to stay away from trouble even t hough trouble seemed to be everywhere. However, he always had a love for art, and consequently given art supplies consistently from his aunt at a very young age. So the creative process runs in his blood and according to Aguilarios he’s certainly “the one”.

Aguilarios tracked down Debora last year at Homeboy Industries , where he works as a drug counselor. He asked him to join him at Xocolatl Café where they discussed Aguilarios’ desire to have Debora be the artist to spearhead this restoration project. Agu ilarios told him Ruiz’s story about growing up in El Sereno and took him to see some of Ruiz’s original drawings, paintings, and poetry, in addition to meeting Ruiz’s sisters, Norma and Elena Lopez, and his mother, Elizabeth Cisneros. Debora was blown away by serendipitous succession of artwork and agreed with Aqu ilarios that he was meant to take on the Richard Ruiz mural restoration project. Not only did Debora agree to the project for Richard Ruiz’s his artistic legacy or his family, but to give them a sense of peace and pride. It unites the youth and the community through the arts, and for Debora, the muralists of the ‘70s, is the culture of the history and the future. Knowledge is power; no one can ever say it enough.

Debora’s vision for the restoration process includes bringing in long time muralist and friend, Davi d Botello, and Wayne Healy of East Los Streetscapers , in addition to Ernesto De La Loza-mentors who have inspired and educated Debora. He would like for the m to join the youth and community, peers amongst neighbors of today, in Ruiz’s honor. Debora wants to fuel the youth of El Sereno with knowledge on the existence of the murals on our streets, as well as the reason for their restoration. Debora believes that understanding culture and history plays a signifi cant role in respecting the future, and Richard Ruiz’s mural at the site along Nate’s attempts to convey that very same message. Debora knows that Ruiz speaks to h im through Aguilarios, and he is willing to do what it takes to see this particular project completed.

Debora informed, Our Town , that Arturo Gonzalez, District Director for Jose Huizar’s office, is working with him to secure a budget with the city council to preserve Richard Ruiz’s historic mural in El Sereno. Once budgets are approved, Debora will be calli ng out to the youth and the community of El Sereno to contribute their support, time, ideas, and talents to the cause.