The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation’s ArtsBergen initiative announces the New Jersey Council for the Humanities (NJCH) awarded an Action Grant. The grant supports the project, Beyond the Wall: Developing Digital Content Illuminating The Black Women’s Mural. The grant supports developing an educational, inspirational website about the creation of this public art. The mural appears on the Women’s Rights Information Center’s building, located at 108 West Palisade Avenue in downtown Englewood, New Jersey.
The New Jersey Council for the Humanities grant provides partial support for Beyond the Wall.
The nonprofit foundation joined 21 other organizations in the state to receive a NJCH Incubation or Action Grant. These grants help organizations implement a wide array of humanities-based projects. These include public programs, exhibitions, and installations, as well as tours and discussion groups.
Beyond the Wall Highlights The Black Women’s Mural
Beginning in mid-September of 2023, the NNJCF partners with a digital designer/web creator and a humanities scholar/poet to research and also write the content about The Black Women’s Mural for an interactive website. The website will serve as an educational archive, in addition to a resource for viewers of the mural. The project includes detailing the histories and stories, as well as biographies of each of the six historic and living Black women represented. In addition, these two products will be created: postcards about the mural and a sign with the website link to be installed at the mural.
“The NJCH grant allows us to expand upon the important work accomplished in creating the Black Women’s Mural in Englewood. This web-based resource provides both educational and inspirational aspects. This resource brings to life the 2-D faces on the mural surface. They humanize them with stories about who are the women and why they are significant,” said Danielle DeLaurentis, Associate Director of the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation.
In 2022, the NNJCF’s ArtsBergen worked with community partners on the project. ArtsBergen oversaw the creation and painting of “The Black Women’s Mural” on the Women’s Rights Information Center’s building. Artist Tatyana Fazlalizadeh painted the mural incorporating design input from Black women in the city, along with the larger community. The mural celebrated Black women’s voices, raised awareness about Black suffragists, and also encouraged civil discourse within the community. This sparked pride recognizing and honoring the Black community’s contributions through a large-scale public artwork. The mural is located in the center of one of the busiest downtowns in Bergen County, New Jersey. On November 14, 2022, the community gathered in an outdoor ceremony and witnessed the mural’s reveal.
For more information about the project, contact 201-568-5608 or artsbergen@nnjcf.org.
