Miles to go Before We Sleep

The project centers on a public mural along with a host of related events that activate the space - engaging the community at every step of the process.

This project aims to address three aspects of a community: 1. beautification of an area with a powerful, stunning artwork that offers a sense of identity; 2. elevation of underrepresented immigrant and origin stories and the strengthening of the entire area’s sense of community; 3. stimulation of economic activity and self-initiated community initiatives.

This project’s pilot was in Haverhill, MA, a post-industrial city of approximately 60,000 with rapidly changing demographics and growing pains related to those changes. It’s residents come from a variety of backgrounds that arrived at different periods in history - with large Italian, English, French-Canadian, and Irish communities. Today, twenty percent of Haverhill identifies as Latino, having immigrated more recently.

The mural’s style was developed to both celebrate the cultural histories of long-time residents and elevate the current experiences of more recent immigrants.The mural was painted in a style inspired by Italian folk-art traditions that incorporated local history and showcased 46 brightly painted panels featuring 148 portraits of community members of diverse and time-periods. These portraits are framed by a border that incorporates local iconography. In the center of the mural, there is a tableaux with a Haverhill city skyline that incorporates community-identified landmarks.