Unity for All at Saint Nicholas Houses
On June 11, the Saint Nicholas Houses community gathered to unveil a new mural and celebrate its message of unity for all.
The mural, “Saint Nicholas for All Unity Mural,” was painted by 120 residents, NYCHA staff, and community partners such as Harlem Children’s Zone. The mural is a project of the Saint Nicholas NeighborhoodStat (NSTAT) team, a 15-member team of residents of all ages. NeighborhoodStat is a Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) program where communities work together to come up with solutions for safety issues specific to their neighborhoods. It is part of the Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety (MAP), a comprehensive strategy to increase safety at 15 NYCHA developments.
“The ground mural was an opportunity for the community to create something together and take back ownership of their development and community,” said Deymis Baquero, MAP engagement coordinator at Saint Nicholas. “When they walk by it, they can be inspired by their own artwork.”
The mural was designed by Joel Bergner, CEO and Co-Founder of Artolution, in partnership with the NSTAT team and graphic designer Liz Martinez. “Taken together, the central images of diversity and unity make a strong statement about the importance of respecting people of all backgrounds, and that this diversity can unite the community rather than divide people,” Mr. Bergner said.
During meetings to create the mural’s design, residents kept speaking to the diversity of their Harlem community and how they wanted the mural to represent unity. The centerpiece of the mural are hands making the sign for unity in American Sign Language, which was inspired by a Saint Nicholas resident who is hearing impaired.
At the reveal event, NSTAT members and other Saint Nicholas residents met with the artists, shared food, listened to music, and came together to signify that they want to create a safe space for residents.
“The Saint Nicholas for All Unity Mural is a prime example of how creative place-keeping invests in local residents and centers care and healing while activating spaces to strengthen community,” said Layman Lee, project director of neighborhood safety initiatives at the Center for Court Innovation. “This place-based project led by the community to reimagine safety honors the people, history, and culture of the folks living there. It is truly a magnificent sight to behold. We hope as people experience this massive, vibrant ground mural, they can feel the labor of love put into it by the many children, adults, and seniors of the community as they gaze at the form of interlocking faces and hands conjoined under the Saint Nicholas tree-lined canopy.”