The People's Money (2022-2023)

What problem would you like to solve?

I would like to create more multicultural representation in our Soundview community. There are few important figures that reflect student ethnicity displayed in the neighborhood. I think this is a major problem for PS 100 Isaac Clason and all the students in the community, as they look for role models to follow. Many of our students are recent immigrants from different countries who do not yet speak English and are looking for ways to feel at home and connected. We believe that art can overcome language barriers and bring warmth to the community during these challenging times. Also, it is often difficult for our young scholars to find successful people that come from their neighborhoods and look like them. 

Why is it important to solve? Why is it relevant for the community?

 I think this is incredibly important to solve as many of our students also come from shelters or single-parent homes that look for examples to guide them in how to act, behave, and conduct themselves as citizens of our global community. 

This is relevant for our community as the majority of our youth are Black and Latinx living in an underserved area with a lack of funding dedicated to arts and multiculturalism. We believe art can help remove some of the barriers that are perpetuated in systemic racism in our institutions that in many cases people shy away from acknowledging and working to find innovative solutions. Creating a mural instills hope for them to see a diverse group of leaders from past and present that teach them about their historical roots while inspiring them to consider a better future on a daily basis. 

What idea do you have to address the problem?

Our solution is to have the art teacher of PS 100X Isaac Clason create a mural together with our students. We would choose past and present leaders to pay tribute to that are relevant and meaningful to our students. Today, with social media and a flood of information, many young students are too busy thinking about the latest TikTok dance and lack an awareness of important historical leaders that paved the road for people of their race or ethnic background. Creating a multicultural mural will help students connect the history of their people to the work that is being done today, and inspire them to consider that they are our future and will someday be our future president, doctors, lawyers, engineers, and so much more. By actually taking part in painting the mural side by side with our art teacher, this will also empower them as they take ownership in bringing color to beautify our neighborhood and bring joy to our entire community. 

Who would that help?

It will help unite the entire community as our residents are of different ethnicities and many are recent immigrants. By representing their backgrounds in the murals, despite being in a new, foreign country, they can walk the streets of their neighborhood with pride in their culture. It will also support our Black and LatinX students that constantly see racism towards people that look like them in the media and rarely are the achievements of their people celebrated in the same way as other races. Each day parents' hearts can feel at ease as they walk with their children in Soundview knowing that their youth will constantly be exposed to major diverse leaders standing together united as one. Perhaps this small project can lead to a young student believing in their capacity to create change, encourage them to take a leap of faith, and foster the next great leader for the United States that we so desperately need in our society today. 

What neighborhood would benefit from your idea?

Soundview Bronx, PS 100X Isaac Clason