Brooklyn students work on a mural they hope will prevent more gun violence in their neighborhood
The 14-by-100-foot mural facing Brower Park in Crown Heights is big, bold, and sends a powerful message to passersby: local teens won't tolerate gun violence.
Since early August, high school students have been collaborating on the mural with professional artists through the Groundswell Community Mural Project, a non-profit organization that encourages youth to promote social change through art.
“Working on this mural has been an inspirational experience, and can only be the beginning of positive change in the community,” said sixteen year-old Urantia Ramirez, a student at at El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice. “I’m working on this to be able to complete something positive with my art.”
The mural depicts images of life and death and is aimed at getting guns off the streets.
Both President Obama and Mayor Bloomberg have asked citizens to improve their communities, and across the five boroughs, young New Yorkers are answering the call.
Sixteen year-old aspiring artist Adan Palermo, a student at Fort Hamilton High School, said the mural project has had a significant impact on his life.
“This experience has opened my mind towards the people around me.”
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