Bronx, NY – On December 15, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. in the Rotunda of Bronx Borough Hall, Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson was joined by Director of Corporate/Community Relations at New York Yankees, Kenny Leandry; and NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) Deputy Commissioner of Strategic Partnerships, Darryl Rattray, for the unveiling of three winning murals chosen from a pool of 24 submitted to the Department of Youth and Community Development’s Social Impact Art Competition, First Pitch. Details of the competition were announced on March 1st, 2023, with 200 DYCD middle and high school programs in the Bronx invited to participate.
“We know that art has been proven to positively impact our youth by providing them with constructive, effective, and safe ways to be civically engaged,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “Through the Department of Youth and Community Development’s Social Impact Art Competition, First Pitch, our teens were able to explore the complexities of violence and its impact in our homes, schools, and communities. I want to thank New York Yankees Senior VP of Corporate Relations and Communications, Brian Smith, and Deputy Commissioner of Strategic Partnerships at NYC Department of Youth and Community Development Darryl Rattray for creating an outlet for our youth to express themselves artistically while also highlighting the amazing talent in our borough.”
“It’s an undebatable fact that Bronxites are some of the most artistic and creative people on the planet! I may be biased as a Bronx native, but I couldn’t be more proud of these young artists representing the borough and using their talents to inspire a better future for all,” said NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) Commissioner Keith Howard. “DYCD is excited to continue our strong partnership with Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson as we publicly unveil these murals as part of the First Pitch competition with the Yankees. We encourage everyone to come out and see firsthand how Bronx youth are amplifying their voices through creativity for social change.”
The competition winners are (1) The Claremont Neighborhood Center with their mural themed, “Youth Violence and the Impact on Mental Health,” by Artists Mahawa Sankara and Maryam Choudhry; (2) the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club, Inc. with their mural themed, “Violence Afflicted by Lack of Mental Health Intervention in Bronx Communities,” by Artists Kaitlyn DeLeon, Ethan Flores, Zaida DeJesus, and Illiana Torres; and (3) Learning Through An Expanded Arts Program, Incorporated’s “Silenced Violence: The Unspoken & Unresolved Issue,” created by Artists Mohagany Morales, Jolany Tejada, Yeremi Diaz, and Hadasa Herrera.
All three murals will be displayed for the public to enjoy in the Rotunda of Bronx Borough Hall located at 851 Grand Concourse from Monday, December 18th, 2023 through Thursday, December 21st, 2023. The competition is the result of a public-private partnership between DYCD and the New York Yankees that encourages youth to effect change through the arts.