I Deal, I Dream, I Do

  • The impact of the Voices Her'd mural is deeply felt in the community, where the mural is clearly visible along 4th Avenue and from a nearby subway stop.
  • The bottom half of the mural illustrates responsibilities young women face at home everyday, from raising younger siblings to being teenage mothers.
  • During a series of Voices Her’d workshops, the girls agreed that gossip by peers and conflict at home were universally some of the hardest issues they dealt with. These issues are depicted as silhouettes in the lower two windows of the mural.
  • The top half of the mural represents the young women’s dreams and how the girls can move toward them. From dancer to homeopathic doctor, the girls all aspired to go further than anyone in their families had gone before.
  • The youth and artists pose from the scaffolding.
  • The central image of a monumental young woman represents progress and forward momentum.

Project Description

Created by young women participating in Groundswell’s Voices Her’d Visionaries program, “I Deal, I Dream, I Do” was designed for the side of CHIPS, a transitional housing center for homeless women and children in Gowanus, Brooklyn. “I Deal, I Dream, I Do” seeks to honestly represent the struggles, hard work, and accomplishments of young women today. Although too often women encounter many obstacles in their paths to success, the mural sends a clear message to young women in the community that through study, the arts, community support, and sheer dedication, they can fulfill their dreams. And through a commitment to themselves and their community, women can far exceed their own expectations, just as the participants in this project did. Located in a neighborhood in Brooklyn still suffering from entrenched economic problems, the mural serves as a testimony to the empowering and revitalizing impact  that young people with artistic skills can make on the community.

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Project Info

Fun Facts

Suggested Activity
What are your dreams? Reflect on how you can reach your goals.
Impact
The team said they developed confidence in themselves by climbing the high scaffolding and speaking during the dedication. They will carry this sense of accomplishment with them as they work toward achieving their personal dreams illustrated in the mural.
Quote
"This is a step toward our vision of ourselves, our community, and the future." -Menshahat Ebron, Assistant Artist