Groundswell Community Mural Project

In the spring of 2008 Groundswell partnered with the Department of Corrections to create 'Incarcerated Minds,' a mural with youth at the Austin H. MacCormick Island Academy on Riker’s Island Correctional Facility.

The mural depicts a group of inmates in a dormitory setting, with each one dreaming of life outside the jail. Imagery in dream bubbles shows a street scene in front of a corner store, symbolizing that the simple ability to go to the store is a form of freedom. Another depicts a woman holding a baby. The third shows a boy doing schoolwork with a father/teacher helping him. The team drew connections between themselves and the imagery of the mural on a daily basis and engaged in an ongoing dialogue with the artists from beginning to end. All realized that the mural had a direct impact on their living area.

The mural generated enthusiasm from inmates, correction officers, the jail administration and the high school staff. Principal Frank Dody commented that “the students worked collaboratively and evidenced great pride in the mural they created. The mural project gave students a voice in the jail community and they learned an important life lesson about the strength of working as a team to create a product. In this case, the product is their message of hope for productive futures.”