Mayor Ras J. Baraka and the City of Newark Office of Homeless Services in partnership with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark and Project for Empty Space (PES) are pleased to announce the completion of a new mural, Embrace, by Newark artist Angela Pilgrim. An unveiling and celebration of the artwork took place on Saturday, September 16th at 11 a.m. at the Miller Street Pathways to Housing Center at 41 Miller St. in Newark, New Jersey.
The 60’ tall mural lives on the side facade of the Miller Street Pathways to Housing Center, a facility that serves as a 24,000-square-foot shelter fequipped with supportive social services to help the city’s houseless residents. The shelter consists of a total of 166 beds – 84 for men and 44 for women – and 21 “code blue” beds. Additionally, seven individual suites with a total of 17 beds are available for families.
“This mural is an example of how artwork can be used to create a sense of place that welcomes our residents and the surrounding community with open arms," said Director and Homelessness Czar Luis Ulerio. "We look forward to continuing our partnership with Project for Empty Space and community artists to infuse our programs with art to transform the culture and create healthy and supportive spaces."
“This beautiful piece of artwork is a welcomed addition to the Miller Street Pathways to Housing Center,” said John Westervelt, Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Charities. “We serve people who are experiencing homelessness and trauma. Everyone who will be walking past this mural is sure to be inspired and encouraged.”
This is Pilgrim’s first public artwork. The artist who primarily works in printmaking created a series of smaller sketches for the project that were scaled “larger than life” to the wall. The artwork’s illustrations center on family, community, and togetherness. Their warm, inviting palette hopes to evoke feelings of comfort for those who are arriving at the center. A background pattern and interlocking shapes conceptually speak to the ethos of the center and symbolize unity and connection.
“This mural was a collaborative effort to bring a message of family, love, and togetherness to our community. I'm honored to have worked with the incredible people at Project for Empty Space, Catholic Charities, and the City of Newark to translate my initial sketches into a full-scale artwork that can be enjoyed by all. My hope is that this mural can provide a sense of belonging, and enrich our city and the community at the Miller Street Pathways to Housing Center.” - Angela Pilgrim
Project for Empty Space has been in partnership with the City of Newark, Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services since 2020. The local arts organization whose focus is justice-driven arts programs collaborated on the first iteration of Newark Hope Village, a “come-as-you-are” safe sleeping village where people experiencing homelessness can have access to shelter and supportive services. The organization created messaging and murals that enlivened and welcomed the first cohort of residents. Additionally in 2022, they led a group of Rutgers University - Newark students to create a mural for the Miller Street Pathways to Housing Community Drop-in Center that highlights several local voices of resilience from Newark.
The artwork was commissioned by the City of Newark and Catholic Charities. Under the direction of the artist, the work was fabricated by the PES public art team which includes Jill Prajapati, Mark Hartmann, Randy Hayes Harris, and Luis Lopez.
About the Collaborators
City of Newark, Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services
Mayor Ras J. Baraka and the Newark Municipal Council created through legislation the Office of Homeless Services in 2022 to provide services for residents at risk of homelessness, those experiencing homelessness, and lead initiatives and projects that aim to address homelessness in the City of Newark.
In December of 2022, the Mayor along with public and private partners launched Newark's first Homelessness Strategic Plan. This plan was developed with support from consumers, community partners, business leaders, and stakeholders and focuses on key strategies that will reduce street homelessness, improve the shelter system, and expand housing. For more information on this plan, visit https://www.newarknj.gov/departments/thepathhome.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark
Tracing its roots to 1903, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark is a not-for-profit social service agency of the Roman Catholic Church within the Archdiocese of Newark. As one of New Jersey’s oldest and largest agencies, Catholic Charities serves nearly 60,000 individuals and families each year in 86 programs. Catholic Charities strives to improve the quality of people's lives and enhance their self-worth and dignity through a network of caring, effective, and well-managed social service, behavioral health, and education programs. These programs include shelters, housing programs, emergency food, behavioral health, family counseling, immigrant and refugee services, early childhood centers, older adult services, workforce development, and special education programs. Catholic Charities is a concrete illustration of the Church’s commitment to ease suffering and bring social justice and hope to all, without regard to religion, race or culture. For more information, visit ccannj.org.
Angela Pilgrim
Angela Pilgrim's art has been featured in prestigious publications such as The Creative Independent and The Getty Archives. Her contributions to the art world extend beyond print, as she has also been actively engaged in guest residencies and lectures across the nation. Her work is held in both public and private collections both nationally and internationally, including the Newark Public Library, Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Pilgrim's participation in group exhibitions is noteworthy, particularly her inclusion in Black Histories, Black Futures at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA and Gadsden Museum of Art in Gadsden, AL. Additionally, she serves as a board member of Frontline Arts in Branchburg, New Jersey, and is a member of the Florida Printmakers Society.
Her contributions to the artistic community have been recognized through numerous grants and awards, including the Newark Artist Accelerator Grant in 2020 and the 2023 Creative Catalyst Grant from Newark Arts. Angela Pilgrim currently resides and works in New Jersey.