In a West Philadelphia neighborhood that has become a hub for immigrants from African countries, Walé Oyéjidé’s Legacy lovingly highlights how we construct identity through clothing, and how much history is contained within our everyday choices. The mural includes life-sized children painted on the wall, pointing at the mural in wonder, in a classic painters’ trick of the eye that includes these young people—in the act of seeing themselves reflected in art—as heroes in their own stories.

This spring, painter Amy Sherald used scale to change perspectives: she installed a massive portrait of a young, Black woman, a participant in our Restorative Practices Youth program. The portrait also shows Najee as the hero in her own story: calm, confident, rising above the buildings of Center City. We’re reminded of how important just one person can be.

From our work in the criminal justice world, the bold, illuminated Portraits of Justice on the Municipal Services Building across from Philadelphia’s City Hall intends to upend assumptions about people who have been incarcerated. The large-scale portraits from formerly incarcerated artist Russell Craig show participants in our Guild program in moments of laughter and reflection, on public display in monumental proportions at the center of the city.

For audiences without this experience, and in a building where many decisions are made that directly affect lives in our city, the mural asks the viewer to think again about the humanity and dignity of people whose lives have been disrupted by the criminal justice system. For those whose faces could have appeared on the wall, or whose loved ones have been touched by the justice system, Portraits of Justice is a reminder that everybody has a right to exist in public space.