Moving Together Towards a Healthy Bronx

  • The mural composition is divided, with negative imagery on the left, separated by a tree that transforms into positive imagery on the right.
  • During the design phase, the group participated in many thoughtful conversations about the negative aspects of its community. Many of the young men believe these problems stem from environmental policy issues and a lack of resources to make healthy choices.
  • A youth works on “Moving Together Towards a Healthy Bronx.”
  • At the dedication, the team stands together with its finished mural.

Project Description

In 2012, Groundswell partnered with Montefiore Medical Center and its Office of Community Health and Wellness’ Healing Arts Program to create five beautiful murals celebrating the theme “Visions of a Healthy Community." Groups of young people were recruited from local afterschool programs to participate in the five-week project. Along with Groundswell professional artists, these youth were charged with researching, conceptualizing, designing, and painting the murals on stretched canvas. Each completed mural was then installed in the waiting area of one of five Montefiore health centers, enhancing these spaces for thousands of patients and community members. “Moving Together Towards a Healthy Bronx” is one of these murals, created in partnership with participants from THE POINT Community Development Corporation's M.I.S.T.E.R. young men's empowerment program. For this mural, the team divided the imagery into two parts. On the left is the negative, which illustrates the young men’s concern about pollution in their community. The right depicts positive local efforts toward community revitalization. The finished mural is installed at the Center for Child Health and Resiliency at the South Bronx Center for Children and Families.

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Project Info

Location: 871 Prospect Avenue Bronx, NY 10459

Fun Facts

Suggested Activity
Identify a negative aspect of your community. Consider how systemic issues might be contributing to this problem. What steps can you take to help change your community for the better?
Impact
The teens learned that although many of the problems facing their community are systemic and deeply embedded in our society, being aware of them is a first step towards positive solutions.
Fun Fact
Black and Latino men face a number of significant health challenges, including a heightened risk for contracting STIs and HIV. M.I.S.T.E.R. is a young men’s empowerment group that confronts these statistics through education and action.