"Murals by Young People Formerly Incarcerated at Rikers Showcased in Brooklyn Nonprofits Latest Exhibit"- 1010 WINS

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"The latest exhibit from Groundswell - a Brooklyn nonprofit that pairs youth with professional artists to create stunning community murals - showcases the work of some New York City's most vulnerable youth: those formerly incarcerated at Rikers Island.

' It's heartbreaking to know that these were created by young people, and thankfully you can no longer incarcerate young people at Rikers Island,' said executive director Yvonne Brathwaite. 'But it really shows not just the kind of conditions that they were dealing with at the time, that were really oppressive and whittling them down to numbers instead of people, but it also shows a resilience and hope for their future.' 

The exhibition is on view at Weeksville Heritage Center, showing photos of the murals created at the jail complex between 2008 and 2018. According to Brathwaite, the 'truly incredible' pieces of art are representative of the nonprofit's bigger mission of inspiritng social progress.

'Groundswell murals are all focused on social justice themes,' she said. 'So we bring together young people, artists and community partners to use art as a tool for social change.' 

The nonprofit pairs interested youth with professional artsits to discuss what is important to them, and both sides comes together to deveop designs highlighting these themes. After the design stage is complete, Groundswell holds community paint days, where anyone can come by and make their mark on the pieces of work. 

From representations of the strength of single moms through partnerships with organizations like the Jeremiah Program, to highlights of diversity in neighborhoods like Gowanus, the nonprofit works to beautify Brooklyn and NYC while pushing the needle toward a more equitable future."