“Intersections Humanized” was created by a group of teen artists participating in Groundswell’s Summer Leadership Institute, including some with a history of court-involvement. These young people collaborated with artists Chris Soria and Don Christian Jones and community partners the NYC DOT, Pitkin Avenue BID, and the Brownsville Community Justice Center to create a vision of shared streets in Brownsville and support the economic revitalization of historic Pitkin Avenue.

In the mural, a central constellation of individual portraits overlooks historic Pitkin Avenue. Together, these individual portraits highlight the strength and diversity present in Brownsville, while creating a positive shared identity for the neighborhood’s 116,000 residents. The image is a powerful reminder of the critical role each of us has to play in transforming our community and promoting the livability of our streets. Text along the bottom reads “Respect,” “Pride,” “Fortitude,” and “Compassion.”

The unveiling of this mural is particularly meaningful as the City of New York announces a major grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), awarded to Groundswell to support the presentation of a transformative mural project in Brownsville entitled “Transform/Restore: Brownsville.” This participatory public art project will engage high-risk young adults, local businesses, and community members in creating visible and permanent change in one of New York City's most challenged neighborhoods.