We did it.

[Sarah Miller]

Over a hundred people came through the old Strong School over the weekend to play a part in bringing our new mural to life. If you were one of them, if you supported the project, if you stopped by to say hi and cheer us on: thank you. You made it happen. Here are some photos of what we created together.

Our artists Emilio Herrera Corichi and Santa Rojas, together with their kids Emilia and Manolo, made the mural a family affair. They poured enormous heart and remarkable skill into the transformation of eleven drab plywood panels into a vibrant representation of our neighborhood's history, diversity, and unity. Not content to stop there, they extended the mural on Sunday to include thirteen additional panels on the Clinton Avenue and Perkins Street sides, with space for all of us to add our own touches. We could not ask for better partners.

 

Chandra Jakka of Fair Haven Pharmacy made an invaluable contribution to the project: our first and largest financial contribution. If you have a prescription to fill or need a quart of milk, please pick it up from the pharmacy and thank Chandra for investing in our community. The Fair Haven Community Management Team also contributed essential dollars, as did Mary Ann Moran, Allan Appel, Eliza Halsey, Kathleen Murphy, YenLi Chao, Bruni and Daniel Pizarro, Penelope Van Grinsven, Anika Lemar, Paul Pasquaretta, Boris Sigal, Raymond Allen, Christel Manning, Rebecca Hatcher, Lisa Kaston, Melinda Tuhus, Aaron Greenberg, Justin Elicker, Lori Janke, Doug Hausladen, Tamanna Rahman, Lynn Smith, Alan Wright, Diane Panasci, Nathalie Bonafe, Laura Miller, Tom Burwell, Susan O'Leary, Katha Cox, J. R. Logan, Mark Firla, Melissa Kops, Lee Cruz, Kathleen Galo, Natalie Coe, Laura Sundstrom, Kerry Brown, and Dave Weinreb. 

 

The City of New Haven provided access to electricity from inside the building. The New Haven Land Trust provided water. ARTE Inc. provided space for our community input meeting. Anna Grace Barry, Sally Esposito, Sierra-Marie Gerfaro, George Morrison, Claudia Herrera, and others dropped off snacks to feed our painters and volunteers. A true team effort. This is what community looks like.

 

The project got some nice coverage in the New Haven Independent and New Haven Register, as well as an AP story picked up by WTNH 8, Fox 61 (with photo gallery), and US News. 

If you want more of this in our neighborhood, there is an important date to put on your calendar: July 26 @ 5:30. We will gather at Fair Haven K-8 School for your input on the current proposal to turn the old Strong School into luxury studio apartments. We need everyone's voice.

Adelante!