Over 400 young people helped paint the mural over the course of 6 summers. In addition, the work of 40 historians and 40 different artists helped make the "Great Wall of Los Angeles" a reality. Toward the very end of the project, a flood washed away all the necessary materials the artists needed to finish the project, including the scaffolding. The community donated $20,000, which was collected in the span of two weeks, to help the artists complete their work. The "Great Wall of Los Angeles" was finished in 1984.