During the summer of 2016, as part of Groundswell's Summer Leadership Institute (SLI) 2016, upwards of 140 teens are coming together citywide to create seven inspiring murals from July 5 to August 31. SLI is Groundswell's flagship summer jobs program that employs youth as apprentice artists to create beautiful large-scale works of public art throughout New York City. To document this process of community transformation, a team of 9 teens collaborated on "From the Ground Up" as part of our Youth Media Council (YMC) led by Lead Artist Jessica Angel.
 
YMC documented their peers who were mobilized by national conversations on public health and safety, youth leadership, and social inequities. Their passion for social justice led the youth artists into bringing key community issues to life through the mural-making process. This year, the youth will create murals in every borough to use art as a tool for social change citywide.

 
 
 
 
⇒ Watch the video on Youtube (video)