The CASIE Center staff and board is honored to announce that our building at 533 N. Niles Ave. in South Bend has been officially named the Mary Jane & Edward Gray Family Center in recognition of the parents of its founding director, Carolyn Hahn Kremer, upon the occasion of her retirement in October 2024.

The late Mary Jane and Edward Gray were steadfast supporters of The CASIE Center’s mission and work. This dedication serves as a lasting tribute to the family’s profound generosity, enduring commitment to children, and the legacy of service they inspired. Carolyn, on behalf of her entire family, extends heartfelt gratitude for this tribute to her parents. The Gray Family Center is home to The CASIE Center, Family Justice Center of St. Joseph County, and the St. Joseph County Special Victims Unit. 

About Our Mural

I wanted to run with the idea of creating a space that feels like an escape from the heaviness of the circumstances that would bring a child into the building. Rather than illustrating trauma directly, I want the lobby to feel like stepping into another world- a quiet, immersive forest field, with movement, life and possibilities. The birds represent the idea that regardless of what happens to you there is so much life ahead of you. Their flight suggests freedom, movement and the ability to progress forward without needing to erase or deny what you’ve experienced.

I incorporated visual elements inspired by Asian pottery, kintsugi; the practice of embracing the repaired pieces in an object, rather than hiding them. The intention wasn’t to say that hardship somehow makes trauma beautiful, but that experiencing something painful does not make a person damaged, lesser or incomplete.

Most importantly, I didn’t want the art to feel like a motivational poster telling a child how they should feel, there are no words telling them to “be strong” or “everything happens for a reason” instead, the message is intentionally quiet: You’re still here, you’re still whole, there’s still beauty in you, and there’s still an entire life waiting for you beyond this moment.

The mural was designed to offer that message without asking anything of the person standing beneath it. And I’m forever grateful to help bring a little beauty and comfort to a space where many need a soft place to land.

— Angel Horn, Muralist