Groundswell Unveils Colorful Brownsville Mural, Designed by Young Artists for Their Neighborhood
Last week, a group of youth-focused community organizations unveiled a new mural titled “We Are, I Am,” designed and installed by artistic young minds at the Marcus Garvey Apartments in Brownsville.
Local youth worked together with community organizations to design “We Are, I Am,” a new mural at the Marcus Garvey Apartments. Photo via Groundswell NYC
By Jada Camille, Brooklyn Paper
Last week, a group of youth-focused community organizations unveiled a new mural titled “We Are, I Am,” designed and installed by artistic young minds at the Marcus Garvey Apartments in Brownsville.
Located on the corner of Rockaway Boulevard and Dumont Avenue, the mural shows a crowd raising signs saying “We are Brownsville,” a young woman speaking into a megaphone, and a man holding a long planted vine in the palm of his hands, all surrounded by a deep purple and gold backdrop.
The colorful art piece was created with help from real estate firm L+M Development Partners and two Brooklyn-based nonprofits who work to bring about social change and prevent crime, Groundswell NYC and the Brownsville Community Justice Center.
In 2014, L+M bought the 625-unit Mitchell Lama complex with the Housing Partnership Development Corporation for $98.6 million with the plan to renovate it while preserving its affordability with the help of a tax break, The Real Deal reported at the time.
Casey Angelo, associate director of programs for Groundswell, said the installation reflects the organization’s commitment to promoting social justice through youth, art, and community.
“This project, a partnership between Groundswell and the Brownsville Community Justice Center, represents the best of what we do,” Angelo said in a statement. “The mural reflects many of the expressed values of both Groundswell and BCJC including investment in youth, community cohesion, and neighborhood stewardship.”
Groundswell artists Yolande Delius and Eric Miles led the Brownsville artists in researching, designing, and painting the mural.
The team met each week and explored the history of public art, identified social issues that affect their communities, and developed the technical skills necessary to translate those reflections into a collaborative onsite mural.
According to Nia Hardwick, a spokesperson with Brownsville Community Justice Center, working alongside the Brownsville’s youth in the Groundswell Mural Program has been a journey of art, empowerment, and community.
“Through this program, I’ve witnessed the transformative power of art, instilling hope, and a deep sense of belonging in a community often overlooked,” Hardwick said. “The young artists infuse every brushstroke with their passion, reminding us that talent knows no boundaries.”
Editor’s note: A version of this story originally ran in Brooklyn Paper. Click here to see the original story.
Related Stories
- Artist Adorns East Flatbush Wall With Mural in Honor of Civil Rights Legacy of John Lewis
- Follow a Literary Course Through Coney Island With a New Poetry Map
- Fort Greene’s MoCADA Opens Ubuntu Garden With Sculptural Series Depicting ‘Living Legends’
Email tips@brownstoner.com with further comments, questions or tips. Follow Brownstoner on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.
What's Your Take? Leave a Comment