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'Before I Die I Will' chalkboard draws attention in downtown Tempe

The "Before I die, I will" chalkboard located at the intersection of 3rd Street and Mill Avenue is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. 

The "Before I die, I will" chalkboard located at the intersection of 3rd Street and Mill Avenue is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. 


One life is approximately 80 years. That is 960 months, about 28,800 weeks and roughly 201,600 days.

And in that time, everyone wants something different, which is clearly shown on the “Before I Die I will” chalkboard set up on Mill Avenue near Third Street. 

Downtown Tempe Authority is a non-profit and private organization that works with the City of Tempe to provide an awareness and enhancement for places such as the Mill Avenue District. One of its current projects is "Before I Die."

“Since we installed it most of the time we have to clean it everyday," Kate Borders, executive director and president of Downtown Tempe Authority, said. "It’s always full by the end of the day so definitely people enjoy it."

This piece is a chalkboard cube that allows any passerby to stop and write what they desire to accomplish before they die. Some writings are more humorous, while others are deep and serious. People are encouraged to share what they’re thinking.

Mary Legaspi, who was volunteering at the Run the Distance for Parkinson’s 5K on Saturday, stopped by the chalkboard. After writing her goal, she stood and admired the other writings that covered the different faces of the box. Her response expressed the want to have children. 

“It was the first thing that popped into my head,” Legaspi said. “I really love kids so that's something I really want.”

“Before I Die" is a national campaign in many downtown districts. However, the one in Tempe differs from the others. 

“Usually its a chalk board on a wall but we wanted it so that people could walk all the way around, that took some engineering,” Borders said.

“We want to do things like that in a way that people can actively participate because it gets them thinking about downtown in a way that they haven’t in the past,” Borders said.

When the chalkboard went up, the plan was to change it every couple months. When the responses for one of the questions began to die down, they would switch out the question. However, the responses for the current question have yet to fade away.

Ruweida Said, another volunteer at the Parkinson’s 5K on Saturday, stood beside the chalkboard reading different responses after adding her own to the collection. 

“I will become a cardiothoracic surgeon," Said explained. "Everyone was writing ‘I’ll find the one, my guy’ or ‘become a Pokemon master.’ It was goals, I realized that was my goal.”

Dreams and goals differ depending on people, as the chalk box on Mill illustrates. Some comments are just scribbled dreams at the corner, while others are fully drawn out images. 

Whether its a quickly written out thought or an elaborate illustration, everyone is encouraged to stroll down Mill Avenue and share what they will do before they die.

Related Links:

"Before I Die" walls promote public participation in making art

The Big Kid Bucket List


Reach the reporter at ndusanek@asu.edu or follow @NikkiDusanek on Twitter

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