Volunteers, artists pitch in on Juneteenth to help create Black Lives Matter mural

A massive mural painting project is underway at the Claremont Neighborhood Center to send a message and bring the community together.

News 12 Staff

Jun 19, 2020, 8:20 PM

Updated 1,633 days ago

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After more than three weeks of Black Lives Matter protests and marches, organizers say Friday's event was all about giving people in the community another way to get involved -- through art. 
Taking a cue from the artists who’ve painted large-scale street murals in other cities, East 169th Street between Third Avenue and Washington Avenue will now have "Black Lives Matter" painted on it in 8-foot wide, 16-foot tall letters. 
The group has done other murals around the borough, but this is the first one on the street itself. Professional artists are leading the project, but anyone in the community is encouraged to pick up a paint brush and help out. 
Food trucks are also offering free meals while volunteers hand out masks. 
Organizers and artists say it’s a meaningful way to get involved on such an important day. Friday marks Juneteenth, a commemoration marking a milestone in ending slavery in the United States more than 150 years ago. 
They say they plan to find other locations in the Bronx to paint future murals and hope to keep bringing the community together through art.