A Legacy in Full Color: Honoring a Mother, a Culture, and a Story That Lives on the Wall

Crystal Jordan
Nov 19
4 min read

Updated: Nov 19

By Crystal Jordan

Auesomely You Magazine

Published: 11/19/2025

Pilar Focus: Emotional Wellness • Faith & Resilience

Some stories arrive wrapped in culture, memory, and love so deep that you feel them before you understand them. This is one of those stories.

As we honor Puerto Rican Heritage Month, Auesomely You Magazine is proud to share a deeply personal and powerful narrative one that beautifully intertwines family legacy, cultural pride, and the artistry of Kiana V. Ware of BeWare Designs, a full-service graphic design and art studio powered by heart, heritage, and healing.

This story is not the artist’s.It is the family’s. We are simply honored to share it with their blessing.

It Started With a Mother, a Window, and the Sun

Before the mural existed, there was an everyday moment:

A mother sitting at her kitchen table.A window that faced a bare wall outside.A ritual of talking about the sun, the flowers, the beauty of the day, even on cloudy days.

Her daugther wanted her to have that sun no matter what the weather looked like.

A painted sun on that wall. A sun she could wake up to every morning.A sun bright enough to carry her joy.

The mural began as a gift for her.No one imagined it would become a memorial.

Mar Chiquita: A Beach That Carried Generations

To understand the mural, you must understand the photo that inspired it. The reference image was taken during one of the daugther’s last trips to Puerto Rico a deliberate visit to Mar Chiquita, her mother’s favorite beach. A place their family went every time they returned to the island. When she showed her the photo, she knew instantly.

Her eyes lit up. Her voice softened . Her memory recognized home.

Mar Chiquita wasn’t just a beach . It was childhood. It was culture. It was the Puerto Rican heartbeat of their family.

As we celebrate Puerto Rican Heritage Month, this moment reminds us how powerful cultural memory truly is and how deeply place, water, and land hold meaning.

A Mural Meant for Her Completed After She Passed

Originally, the mural was intended to be the beach scene alone.

But after she passed, the vision expanded.

The flamboyán Puerto Rico’s iconic fiery red tree, was added . The sun remained, symbolizing her warmth. The waves rolled in, holding the memories of their island roots.

And then came the face.

Her face.

The family debated it. Would it be too emotional? Too personal?Too heavy?

But the truth became impossible to deny:

The mural would not have been complete without her.

The wall became a living tribute not only to a mother, but to a Puerto Rican woman whose legacy deserved to be honored in color.

The Artist Who Brought Memory to Life Kiana V. Ware of BeWare Designs

The mural was painted by someone who wasn’t just chosen…She was trusted.

Kiana V. Ware, the creative powerhouse behind BeWare Designs, had known the family for years. She understood their story. She respected their culture. She carried their grief with care.

BeWare Designs is more than a graphic design business it is powered by art. Powered by intention, powered by seeing people fully and honoring them through creativity.

As the daugther watched Kiana paint, he saw more than technique. She saw the heart.

She captured his mother’s spirit, warmth, and essence with a tenderness that moved family members and even neighbors to tears.

When she painted the face, emotions overflowed. Not just for the family, but for Kiana, who felt the weight of honoring someone so loved.

And in that moment, something became clear:

This wasn’t just a mural. It was healing. It was a connection. It was culture. It was a legacy.

A Tribute That Honors Puerto Rican Heritage

This mural embodies Puerto Rican culture in every detail: The flamboyán is a symbol of beauty, pride, and island strength.Mar Chiquita is a treasured landmark.The warmth of the sun representing joy, resilience, and light. A Puerto Rican mother, a matriarch whose memory continues to guide her family.A home transformed into a cultural monument reminding us that heritage lives wherever we honor it.

During Puerto Rican Heritage Month, this story reminds us that culture is not confined to a place. It lives in people. In memories. In the art we create to keep our loved ones close.

“She’s family, and she will always be family,” the son said of Kiana.

And of the mural?

“It means everything. It’s more than paint. It’s her. It’s us. It’s Puerto Rico.”

She also shared his deepest gratitude for BeWare Designs:

“I would absolutely recommend Kiana Ware and BeWare Designs. She is talented, caring, passionate, and intentional. Anyone would be privileged to have her work on their project.”