The walls of the Fifth Avenue Committee’s Center for Community Development on DeGraw Street now pulse with new life.
On Thursday, Aug. 21, FAC and Groundswell Community Mural Project unveiled “The Heartbeat of Gowanus,” a large-scale community mural created by lead artists Kristy McCarthy and Yolande Delius in collaboration with 13 youth artists from Groundswell’s Voices Her’d Visionaries program, local leaders and neighborhood residents.
The mural, spanning the building’s facade, pays tribute to the resilience and advocacy of Gowanus organizers and residents who have shaped the neighborhood through decades of struggle and transformation. It was created after months of research, interviews, a community listening session and on-the-street interviews with locals.
“Over the 21 years that the prior mural was here and then to today, this neighborhood has gone through so many transformations and transitions and obviously we’re at another moment of transformation for Gowanus,” said Michelle de la Uz, executive director of FAC. “When your reflections are grounded in history, when your reflections are grounded in values, when your reflections are grounded in what you want the community to be, and then you’re directly in communication with local leaders … that’s very, very powerful.”
Groundswell’s Executive Director Yvonne Martinez Brathwaite echoed de la Uz, noting that the work embodies both memory and vision.
“This mural stands as a powerful reflection of the environmental and social justice struggles faced by the Gowanus community and of the resilience and leadership, especially of women and youth, that continue to shape a more just future,” she said. “It’s more than a mural, it’s a collected vision for equity, solidarity and sustainability brought to life by the community itself.”
McCarthy, one of the lead artists, described the process as deeply collaborative and rooted in listening.
“From all our research, the thing that we really saw was that everybody wants to honor the history and the rich legacy of the neighborhood of Gowanus and the community here that’s been fighting for justice for many generations,” she said.
The mural’s imagery moves through time: beginning with the Lenape people who first lived on the land, transitioning into the industrial era, then highlighting struggles against redlining and disinvestment, before arriving at present-day protests for justice. At its foundation is the Gowanus Canal — depicted first as polluted waters, then transforming into clean blue currents that carry a tugboat named “Turning the Tides,” symbolizing hope, resilience and the working-class fabric of the neighborhood.
For youth artist Ashanti Benons, the experience was both personal and transformative.
“Not only did I get to work on art all day, but I got to explore a new part of New York City that I had never visited before and immersed myself in its history and culture,” she said. “Beyond the research, I feel like the experience of creating this mural was a major turning point in my own art. I finally understood how to blend skin tones and I painted my first ever acrylic portrait … so I was really proud of myself for that.”
Her growth as an artist, however, was only part of what she took away from the project.
“For me, I would say this mural represents the power of community collaboration and art to create change,” she said.
City Council Member Shahana Hanif also attended the unveiling, underscoring the mural’s political and social resonance.
“This mural is a movement that demonstrates the work of women and BIPOC people in this community and particularly the working class fight to ensure that the future of Gowanus is clean air, affordable housing and one that’s equitable,” Hanif said. “We’re headed towards resilience, we’re headed towards ensuring that this community is welcoming and inclusive … and that we get to honor it with art.”
“The Heartbeat of Gowanus” is one of more than 700 Groundswell murals citywide.
