The Stay Golden mural was organized and designed by Gerald Brown, Roberto Lugo, and Isaac Scott. The purpose of the mural is to activate the community in Strawberry Mansion, reflect on the radical energy in the city and around the country, and commemorate the powerful spirit of Black and Brown people. The words “Stay Golden” is reflective of a common usage of the color gold in African Diasporic communities. It is a unifying color among Black and Brown people and it speaks to our resilience through adversity.

Building off the intentions of the mural, we wanted to take the nationwide protests and apply them on a localized level. Partnering with the Philadelphia Black Lives Matter chapter as well as leaders specific to the Strawberry Mansion area, we wanted to bring together people to address the needs in this neighborhood. The unveiling of the mural will be a dual event featuring a demonstrative march from the 33rd and Girard, at the site of the historical MLK, Malcolm X, Ella Baker and Fredrick Douglas mural, to the new site of Stay Golden. Following the march, there will be a few leaders speaking to the history of the area as well as community-driven liberation goals. We hope by creating this event and the leaders we partner with, we will be able to bring support and awareness to issues facing Strawberry Mansion.

The event will be Sunday, August 9th, 1p to 3:30p. We are asking everyone to meet at 33rd and Girard for the start of the march. If you have any questions, contact Gerald Brown (geraldabrown10@gmail.com) or Isaac Scott (isaacspottery@gmail.com)