In July 2019, Young Dragons Summer STEAM campers participated in a paint day kick-off celebration to transform the 33rd & Wallace Street playground.
WHAT: Mural Dedication with Philadelphia Eagles Star Malcolm Jenkins
The Malcolm Jenkins Foundation (TMJF) and Mural Arts Philadelphia will dedicate The Malcolm Jenkins Foundation The Promise Mural at the 33rd & Wallace Playground in the Mantua section of West Philadelphia. Along with Malcolm Jenkins, youth living in Mantua who were campers in the TMJF Young Dragons Summer STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art/Athletics and Mathematics) Camp in July participated in a paint day kick-off celebration to transform the playground. West Philadelphia artists Gabe Tiberino and Nilé Livingston designed the mural to inspire youth to create a world they want to see. Some of those campers who attend nearby Morton McMichael School, will be in attendance at the dedication.
WHO:
Malcolm Jenkins, Philadelphia Eagles NFL Pro Bowl Player, 2-XM Super Bowl Champion, Entrepreneur and Activist
Gabe Tiberino and Nilé Livingston, Lead Artists, Mural Arts Philadelphia
Jane Golden, Executive Director, Mural Arts Philadelphia
Gwendolyn V. Jenkins, President & CEO, The Malcolm Jenkins Foundation
Dollette Johns-Smith, Principal, Morton McMichael School
Students from Morton McMichael School
WHEN: Monday, November 4, 2019, 11 am
WHERE: 33rd and Wallace Streets Playground Philadelphia, PA 19104
DETAILS: The design paints a picture of productivity, positive play and promise for the youth and families of the Mantua community. TMJF’s and Mural Arts’ commitment to transforming lives and communities was the inspiration for envisioning a mural that can be an everyday reminder to the youth of the world of possibilities that is their future. The Promise Mural is a series of paintings that wrap around the playground: on the walls of a utility shed, around the basketball court, on the sprayground, the perimeter of the retaining wall on the exterior of the playground, and the steps to the entrance. The murals incorporate elements of science, technology, space exploration, sports, athletics and mathematics, further supporting TMJF’s connection to West Philly’s Mantua community through the SUMMER STEAM camp established in 2016 in partnership with Drexel University’s ExCITe Center. The Mantua section of Philadelphia was designated as a Promise Zone under an initiative of the administration under President Barack Obama.
Neighbors and members of the public, the surrounding community, and about 60 Young Dragons Summer STEAM campers joined Malcolm Jenkins, Mural Arts and the artists at the paint day, kicking off the Mural project in July. Support from those factions continued to complete the mural project.
