The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation opens Women’s History Month launching “Beyond the Wall: Developing Digital Content Illuminating The Black Women’s Mural”. During March, the Foundation’s ArtsBergen initiative plans to develop an educational, inspirational website expounding on the meaning, significance and process of the creation of “The Black Women’s Mural: Celebrating Black Suffragists and Black Women in Englewood”. This public artwork appears on the Women’s Rights Information Center’s (WRIC) building in the City of Englewood, New Jersey.
In 2022, Artist Tatyana Fazlalizadeh painted the 520 square foot mural on the WRIC’s exterior wall, located at 108 West Palisade Avenue, in the city’s bustling downtown. The mural, produced with design input from Black women in the city and the larger community, celebrated Black women’s voices, raised awareness about Black suffragists, and encouraged civil discourse within the community. This public artwork, honoring the Black community’s contributions, was revealed on November 14, 2022 in an outdoor ceremony.
The Black Women’s Mural appears on the exterior wall of the Women’s Rights Information Center’s building in Englewood, New Jersey. Photo Credit: Northern NJ Community Foundation
Beyond the Wall Digital Content and Website
Beyond the Wall expands upon the installation of “The Black Women’s Mural” with the development of a website and interactive digital content. The site will expound on the meaning, significance, and process of the artwork, as well as details about the histories, stories, and biographies of each of the six historic and living Black women represented in the mural. The website will serve as an educational archive and resource for viewers of the mural.
Several members of the community will serve as ambassadors for the project in the City of Englewood. These Community Ambassadors include Councilman-at-Large Charles Cobb; Samuel Lee, founder of Encounters in Black Tradition; and Kia Thornton Miller, founder of Mommy Power and a substitute teacher with the Englewood Public School District. In addition, Thornton Miller appears in the mural. These Community Ambassadors will promote the website and also help to spread the potential for new programming and learning in the city’s schools and library.
For further information about the launch of this innovative website, visit Beyond the Wall’s online page.
Website Team Announced
This talented team has been selected to create the website.
- Jasmine Daria Cannon, a scholar, curator, and writer, will develop the content. Her interests include late nineteenth and early twentieth century African American history and black feminist labor histories. In addition, she researches black women found in the midst of riots, political, and social discord. She received a M.A. in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Cannon also obtained a M.A. in American Studies with a concentration in Museum Studies from the George Washington University. Columbian College of Arts and Sciences recognized her with the Distinguished Master’s Scholar. Furthermore, she operates Kindred Bookshop, a bookshop dedicated to amplifying authors and stories of diverse experiences. Cannon also manages the platform, Brown Girls Love STEM. This resource encourages girls and women of color to pursue STEM degrees.
- Lilith Haig designs websites and motion graphics. On Beyond the Wall, she will build an interactive, engaging online experience. Her diverse clientele ranges from musicians to nonprofits, Fortune 500 companies, and higher education institutions. Notable projects included spearheading the brand makeover for Creative Placemaking Communities and also orchestrating webpage motion tests for Verizon’s myPlan launch. Furthermore, she co-created “The Weight of This” at the Mandeville Gallery in Schenectady, New York.
- Raphael Sebastian, the project’s sound engineer, will record interviews and mix interesting sound bites to bring the stories to life. Their musical efforts operate under the moniker Swagatron111. These efforts range from discography exploring their own inner workings to mixing and also mastering projects. These projects included Schoolwide Assembly’s ‘For sisters to decipher’, as well as Kelsey Lue’s ‘Flowers Now’. Swagatron111 also recorded and edited the first season of the Lurker’s podcast.
Make a contribution to develop digital content to reveal what is “Beyond the Wall”. Photo Credit: Northern New Jersey Community Foundation
Donations Appreciated for Beyond the Wall Digital Content
The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation needs the public’s help to reveal what is Beyond the Wall. The Foundation welcomes donations of any size to complete the project. Make a contribution online or by check. Send checks made out to ‘The Northern N.J. Community Foundation’ and enter “Beyond the Wall” in the memo line. Mail checks to the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation, 1 University Plaza, Suite 128, Hackensack, New Jersey 07601. Contributions are tax-deductible, as permitted by law. For further information about the Foundation, Beyond the Wall, or the mural, call 201-568-5608 or send an e-mail.
To date, the Bergen County Division of Cultural & Historic Affairs and the New Jersey Council for the Humanities Action Grant have provided partial support for the project. Funding has been made possible in part through grant funds administered by the Bergen County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs, Department of Parks, through a General Operating Support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State.
This program was also made possible by a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.
Great ideas.