Bill de Blasio joins unveiling of The New York Foundling’s new mural

The New York Foundling and community residents gathered at the Vital Brookdale supportive housing complex in Brownsville, Brooklyn, for a celebration to unveil a new mural commissioned by the organization. The 1,000-square-foot mural, entitled “Colors of My City,” includes images that honor the history of the Black Panthers, as well as activists, physicians and community members, as well as New York City landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge, and even the 3 train.

The event included a visit from former Mayor Bill de Blasio, whose son Dante worked as project manager on the mural. The elder de Blasio briefly remarked he was having a “proud papa” moment and then gave his son the floor. 

“You got to put yourself back here a year ago when it was just a blank wall, and now it feels like there’s something vibrant, it feels like there’s something that reflects the neighborhood and is also aspirational in some ways,” said the younger de Blasio said about the mural project. 

“It says that we deserve to be seen in artistic works, we deserve to have a hand in shaping the design and beauty of our neighborhood,” he continued. “I feel incredibly proud and I felt a lot of joy for residents as it was going up and after they saw it for the first time.” 

Layqa Nuna Yawar painted the mural based on community input from residents at Vital Brookdale, as well as from their neighbors. Yawar is best known for capturing the complex narratives of Black, immigrant, and Indigenous communities through their large-scale community-based murals, portrait paintings, and multimedia projects.

“The messaging we came up with as a collective is to celebrate the places of Brownsville, what it means to be from here and highlight the members of the community,” said Yawar.

Vital Brookdale is a 25,000-square-foot, 160-apartment, seven-story affordable and supportive housing complex. The $82 million development opened in 2022 and was a part of the state's $1.4 billion Vital Brooklyn Initiative to address the social, economic, and health disparities in Brooklyn's high-need communities by creating 4,000 units of affordable housing. The complex serves young people aging out of foster care and adults with developmental disabilities and is a part of The New York Foundling’s residential programming that provides private apartments and supplemental services to community members. 

“Our residents at Vital Brookdale deserved something beautiful, something that honored them and the whole neighborhood. With the mural now finished, we are so delighted to gather with our residents and celebrate. This is a special community, and we hope the mural inspires people who pass by it each day,” said Melanie Hartzog, president and CEO of The New York Foundling.

The New York Foundling is a nonprofit started in 1869 and serves children, youth, adults, and families in need through programming, support, and advocacy. The organization offers over 40 programs that help families thrive, including housing, medical and mental health services, and more.