PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A new mural in Germantown is honoring community leaders and residents who work at Einstein Medical Center.
"Lots of people, lots of colors, lots of fun," said Kat Black, one of several volunteers at Community Paint Day, an event held to bring life to the new mural.
"The mural was done in collaboration with Einstein, the folks who live at the [Long Term Structured Residence]," said organizer James Daniel Burns of the Mural Arts Program.
"In the mural, the folks are providing care for the garden, filling up the bird feeder. So there is a sensibility around care in the mural."
Einstein’s LTSR community is made up of those experiencing behavioral health challenges and Burns wants people to notice the subtle messages within the mural about this specific population.
"It’s not just about you’re caring for this population but it's sort of a back and forth," he said. "That’s something that’s really important to recognize in the mural."
It all started with community members not only in the mural, but also coming together to paint the mural in Howell Park.
"We'll be painting sheets today. The sheets will go up on the wall," Burns explained of the process. "Then we'll do some post-painting on the wall where we touch things up and make things look shiny and smooth."
Philadelphia artist Birdie Busch lives in the neighborhood and was on hand to help.
"It's really important for me to be here," she said, "because I feel like the health of our city is about communing in public spaces as much as possible."
Organizers said the mural should be completed just in time for summer.