Woman Rise

  • The completed mural is featured outside of the Bowery Residents’ Committee (BRC), a transitional housing residence for homeless women.
  • The Voices Her’d girls research and strategize visual imagery for the final design.
  • The girls paint an invitation to the Public Sharing of the mural concept directly on the wall.
  • One of the youth artists, not afraid to get a little messy while working hard.
  • Once “Woman Rise” was completed, the mural team celebrated a job well done.
  • The banners that the two main figures are holding above their heads have quotes that were adapted from the United Nations’ Universal Bill of Human Rights.

Project Description

"Woman Rise" is a mural that exemplifies women’s struggles and the paths taken to rise above those issues. The mural was created in partnership with the Bowery Residents’ Committee (BRC), a transitional housing residence for homeless women. The Voices Her’d mural team chose to create a universal image that recognized struggle, hope, and solidarity as essential themes relating to all women. The young artists’ research was extensive, combining statistical information and meetings with public officials and social justice organizations, with personal interviews and anecdotes from the women of the Bowery Residents’ Committee. They also looked closely at art that addresses complex social structures, including art from ancient Egypt. After getting to know some of the resident women, the mural team gained new awareness about homelessness in New York City. It is the hope that women will be able to identify with the imagery of transformation in the mural and relate it to their own personal experiences.

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Project Info

Fun Facts

Research
In April 2012, there was an all-time record of 43,000 homeless people, including 10,000 homeless families with 17,200 children, sleeping each night in the New York City shelter system. Families comprise nearly three-quarters of the shelter population.
Fun Fact
In 1971, a small group of homeless individuals living on the streets of the Bowery came together and bravely decided to change their lives through recovery, caring professional support, and community action. This is how BRC was founded.
Question about the Mural
How many birds do you see in the mural? What do they symbolize?