Long Beach

Dolly Parton , the country music icon, had an incredible and personal impact on countless people across the country and the world – not only through her music but also through her activism and philanthropy. Patron’s death on Tuesday, Aug. 25, left many in mourning, including residents and local organizations in Long Beach. From local artists to the Long Beach Public Library Foundation, many reflected on Parton’s legacy and support of literacy, medical research and marginalized communities. Hearing the news of Parton’s death, at 80 years old, came as a shock and a “devastating blow,” said Long Beach artist David Gilmore. “She’s always been a force for good and such a positive example that I’ve seen my entire life,” Gilmore said on Tuesday. “Had hoped we’d have at least another decade with her.” In 2021, Gilmore was hired by Luke Nero, who owned Strut Bar Club in Costa Mesa at the time, to create a 51-by-19-foot mural of Parton on the side of the business. Strut Bar Club had opened just six months before the COVID-19 pandemic and was temporarily closed for a full year because of government restrictions. In honor of Parton’s help funding research for the COVID-19 vaccine, Nero hired the Long Beach artist to paint the mural. Gilmore said he started working on the mural a month before the LGBTQ+ nightclub reopened. Although the business is now permanently closed, the mural still remains in its home in Costa Mesa. “Not only is she an icon in the queer community and beyond, but she is truly a model of inclusivity,” Nero said in 2021. “It’s my hope that our mural will add positivity and a sense of togetherness, Nero added, while recognizing the contribution of frontline workers.” The mural is an iconic and heroic depiction of the country star, Gilmore said in a Tuesday interview. “I really unleashed the rainbow,” Gilmore said. “She has a halo over her head, light rays are shooting out of her hands with those beautiful giant nails, doves are holding scrolls with her name on them, huge blooming flowers are behind her, and butterflies are fluttering about. “I am a true admirer of Dolly and appreciate how everyone loves her,” Gilmore added. “She’s not political, she’s not divisive; she’s all heart, talent, wit, passion and the best of us. Dolly was love and light and a true icon.” Parton’s philanthropic work with her Imagination Library, meanwhile, also impacted many lives. And the Long Beach Public Library Foundation is set to recognize that contribution in September. The foundation had previously announced that it would present Parton’s Imagination Library with this year’s “Library Leadership Award” during its annual gala. The award is the foundation’s highest honor, presented annually to an organization or individual whose leadership has made a transformative impact on libraries, literacy and lifelong learning, organizers said. The award recognizes vision, sustained commitment and measurable outcomes that expand access to education and opportunity. “For three decades, Dolly Parton and her Imagination Library have been a national leader in early childhood literacy, providing free, high-quality books to children from birth through age five,” Veronica Garcia Dávalos, executive director and CEO of the Long Beach Public Library Foundation, said in a Tuesday statement. “By placing books directly into the hands of children and families, the program has fostered a lifelong love of reading, strengthened school readiness, and expanded equitable access to learning for millions of families across the United States and internationally.” Inspired by her father’s inability to read and write, Parton started her Imagination Library in 1995 for the children within her home county. Today, the program spans five countries and gifts millions of free books each month to children around the world, according to the organization’s website . The award will be presented at the foundation’s annual gala on Sept. 27 at the Billie Jean King Main Library. The gala will bring together hundreds of community leaders, education leaders, philanthropists, business partners and civic stakeholders who support public libraries and literacy initiatives throughout the region. “Today, the world mourns an extraordinary humanitarian whose generous heart transformed millions of young lives,” Garcia Dávalos said. “We remain deeply committed to honoring Dolly s legacy by ensuring her vision of accessible childhood literacy lives on in our local communities. The Long Beach Public Library Foundation is proud to recognize the Imagination Library s extraordinary legacy, national reach, and continued leadership in advancing literacy and educational equity.” Staff photographer Mindy Schauer contributed to this article. Related Articles Remembering Dolly Parton: We will always love her for the joy she gave us Dick Miller, legendary lifeguard and community leader, dies at 93 Acclaimed artist Betye Saar dies; her Pasadena childhood rooted her artistic vision Andy Lippman, beloved bureau chief who directed many of AP’s biggest stories, dies at 78 English actress Joanna Pettet, star of 1960s’ ‘Casino Royale,’ dies in Temecula