Join us on Saturday, April 20th for the mural unveiling and learn more about bridge building with us!
The YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit is a convener of community and a center of peace for many. Peace is defined as the freedom from disturbance. It is a concept of friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility and violence. Our YMCA is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and global engagement. We aim to promote humanity across lines of difference and invoke peace within our local community.
Over the last year the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit has engaged in a national collaborative for bridge building across the U.S. with Y-USA, Catholic Charities USA, Habitat for Humanity International, and Interfaith America called Team Up. The Team Up Project aims to empower people to build connections across differences with others in their communities. Each participating organization was encouraged to facilitate a bridge building opportunity in their local community. In partnership with City Walls Detroit, local Metro Detroit artists, and supporters like you, we set out to create a visual expression of our commitment to bridging community and a call for peace.
Through our community conversation series, Stand for Something two events were held. The first conversation elevated the voices of local visual artists. Our partner, City Walls Detroit, issued an open call for this project. The artists were invited to submit their respective visions of peace and the intersection of it at the YMCA. Each artist shared ways they find peace through creative expression and submitted original artwork to be selected as the Call for Peace mural which will be showcased on the exterior wall of the Boll Family YMCA, on Grand River between Broadway and Farmer. The second community conversation brought together individuals across Metro Detroit to discuss peace and how it shows up in our world.
A selection committee formed of community members, YMCA stakeholders and the City Walls Detroit municipal team voted on the final winner of the muralist open call.
And the selected mural is… by Artist Trae Isaac
About the artwork, from Trae Isaac:
The artwork I have proposed for the Downtown Detroit YMCA is reflective of diverse harmony and community Spirit of Detroit, showcasing people of various ethnicities and religious backgrounds. My artwork celebrates and honors the differences that bring our city together through the lives and journeys of its unique citizens. Commonly shared recreation activities such as swimming and basketball are shown to share some of the the offerings of the YMCA facilities, as well as a representation of activities that people commonly use to seek peace, camaraderie, and community.
Trae Isaac
Let’s celebrate the finalists from the December/January open call:
Fel’le, created by Kenyada Kelsaw
My large format paintings serve as a visual testament to the enduring strength and resilience of the communities I am a part of and have worked with. Through my art, I strive to create images that resonate with viewers on a visceral level, evoking emotions and sparking meaningful conversations about the issues that affect us all.
Kenyada Kelsaw (creator of Fel’le)
Jozie Bullard
Jozie incorporates elements of calmness, mindfulness, sacred geometry, abstract expressionism, surrealism, psychedelic design, spiritual art, and healing into their artistic creations to combat the clutter, violence, and unrest caused by our industrial society.
Everybody With Detroit Stand for Peace, created by Charles Martin Miller
My vision for this mural project, titled ” Everybody With Detroit Stand for Peace,” is to create a large, visually striking butterfly using thousands of individual photos that represent diverse personal visions of peace. This mural aims to be more than just an art installation; it is envisioned as a beacon of inspiration and a reminder of our shared responsibility towards creating a peaceful world. It will stand as a testament to the power of collective action and the beauty of diverse perspectives uniting for a common cause.
Charles Martin Miller
Wendy Popko
I am answering, “A Call For Peace,” to try and bring down the heavy walls we try so hard to keep up. The YMCA I feel, is so much more than a place to exercise. It’s a place for growth, whether it be physically, mentally, or spiritually. It’s a place where we grow enough to peek beyond the barrier that we have set up, and glimpse to the other side.
Wendy Popko
