Piece Out, Peace In

  • The finished mural stands as a monument to the dedicated young people who brought the community together against gun violence.
  • Teen participants share their research and preliminary designs with community partners and other stakeholders.
  • A New York City police officer adds to the mural during the community painting day.
  • Our youth participants take a break from painting on the scaffolding to smile at the camera.
  • Local elected officials, community members, and youth come together to celebrate the unveiling of this monumental work of collaborative public art.
  • A detail suggesting that in your community, you can choose peace.
Piece Out, Peace InGroundswell Murals Project: Brooklyn Review

Project Description

“Piece Out, Peace In” is a collaborative gun violence prevention mural created in Crown Heights by Groundswell youth together with American Friends Service Committee and the Office of New York State Assemblymember Karim Camara. The first part of the mural, which unfolds in a narrative from left to right, addresses the history of guns in the United States. The design flows into imagery showing how the current laws and regulations lead to death by guns in urban communities. The final section of the mural illustrates the power of communities and youth to stand together to end gun violence. This successful collaboration engaged community-based organizations, gun violence prevention activists, clergy, police officers, and community members in anti-violence organizing.

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Project Info

Fun Facts

Fun Fact
The pipeline featured in the mural symbolizes I-95, which is sometimes referred to as the “iron pipeline” because guns flow along it from states with lax gun laws to New York City.
Suggested Activity
Talk to your community and local government officials about hosting a “Turn in Your Guns” Day – an event for people to turn in their firearms anonymously, sometimes for a cash reward.
Research
Guns are responsible for the deaths of nearly 30,000 American each year. That is a rate of 82 people each day.