On Women Leaders and the Bryn Mawr Project

Abstract

As an artist and activist, I believe seriously in the social power of art and the history we build on as we sketch out and ultimately lay claim to our own place on the continuum of creative solutions. For nearly three decades, first as part of the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network and later as head of the Mural Arts Program, I have had the privilege to witness the unique ability of ordinary individuals to use the collaborative power of art-making to tap into the collective imagination of this city, lift people up, challenge their neighbors to think beyond their own door, and unite disparate populations in the creation of meaningful images that promote hope, cooperation, peace, and civic awareness.

Philadelphia has always been a city whose riches persist in people and their stories. What we have seen from the very beginning of Mural Arts is that if people are given an opportunity to envision, to work together, to express their individual truths in the language of their own creative imaginations – they will become aware of the common concerns that unite us and our shared capacity to take action not only out of our own interests but also in the interest of the greater good.

But how did we get here? Who were the leaders and heroes whose tremendous energy smoothed the rough road we now traverse? How did this movement start and how is its legacy sustained? How do we pay tribute to those who came before us, those whose noble efforts loom large and inspire a greater urgency in our work? How do we return the favor, and push the envelope in a way that will inspire the next generation of leaders?