Nathaniel James

Hello all I'm Nathaniel James. I've had the privilege of working with Groundswell since 2012 and each year continues to get better. I started participating in the TEMA afterschool program during my sophomore year of high school thanks to a recommendation from my English teacher. Since then I've been able to work with hundreds of youth and a diverse list of professional artists to create well over 10,000 square feet of painted illustrations for our New York community.

I have deep gratitude for my Groundswell family for exposing me to so many hidden treasures within this city and for introducing me to the social injustices woven into our modern society. Fellow youth participants and I tackled subjects related to domestic employees in our urban work force, the relationships between men of color and the NYPD, the heritage of immigrant New Yorkers through Ellis Island and many more tangible themes.

When I participate in these youth-led projects I express myself and genuinely invest in researching and fabricating these dynamic murals. This empowers the communities impacted and motivates them to continue as ambassadors and I love that!

So after the paint dries and the final design is in full display, I have a sense of pride and ownership to what I've produced, knowing that I’ve given communities a voice and a lasting imprint on this city landscape.