Groundswell worked with Bronx Hope students to create a mural promoting a positive message about personal growth and transformation. Hope Academy of the Bronx guides at-risk students from the fifth-grade level to the successful completion of high school. The mural utilizes both the front and back walls of a staircase in order to create a dynamic dimension to the design. The overall composition in the mural design depicts a subterranean world with plants that break through the surface into a brighter realm. 

Challenging symbols with negative connotations – such as handcuffs and prison bars – are minimized and seen as a shadow reminder of the challenges that the students have faced. They serve as a reminder of the value of working towards a successful future. 

The design overcomes the challenges by breaking through the ground into light. Lightbulbs were chosen by participants to symbolize hope. Lightbulbs also carry other affirmations that support the positive path and mindset moving forwards. The dandelion appears in flower, seed, and sprout forms to symbolize different stages of this transformation and growth.