Pratt Center
September 18, 2012
The Mural Mile program - empowering a community
Young artists transform Livonia Avenue.
In August, ARTS East New York, with the support of Pratt Center and the Rockefeller Cultural Innovation Fund, launched The Mural Mile program – an empowerment and community beautification initiative along Livonia Avenue, considered by most residents a dark and dangerous stretch plagued with crime. As part of the initiative, young men of the East New York community will research, examine and discuss the poetry and speeches of noted African American and Latino artists and learn how to interpret that work into visual imagery to bring their artistic vision to fruition. On August 17, Pratt Center took part in ARTs East New York’s unveiling of a new mural to start the program.
The mural was installed by several young men, and transformed a wall that was previously covered with gang graffiti into an inspirational masterpiece. The mural, which features an image of the slain African-American teenager Trayvon Martin interspersed with educational messages, addresses local gun violence and the need for young people to take the initiative to change the community. "Out of frustration comes change," said Catherine Green, the founder of ARTs East New York. "We cannot sit down and we can't be complacent and complain. We have to move toward change." Further coverage of the event can be found here.