Mural at Marsha's House reflects diversity and inclusivity

Project Renewal unveiled a new mural in the courtyard of Marsha's House, our shelter serving LGBTQ young adults ages 18 to 30. The project was spearheaded by Council Member Ritchie Torres, who advocated for the shelter to open in his district. A resident of the shelter designed the mural, which was hand painted with help from Groundswell, a group of artists and activists.

The new mural at marsha's house

The artwork shows Marsha P. Johnson, the late LGBTQ activist for whom the shelter is named, embracing the residents below. Diverse residents are shown interacting with and supporting one another, representing the inclusivity of the space. The crumbling buildings below depict the challenges that can come with instability in New York City, but the residents are striving to reach stable ground. 

Learn more about life at Marsha's House in this excerpt from our latest newsletter:

Kristian is a 25-year-old trans man who became homeless during his transition. Kristian found safety and security at Marsha’s House, the City’s first shelter for LGBTQ young adults. “Being surrounded by like-minded people has been really helpful. The staff at Marsha’s House are allies and are respectful of pronouns,” Kristian says. Kristian has been using the support services at Marsha’s House to secure personal identification that reflects his gender identity and to look for a second job to supplement his part-time work. “If I weren’t at Marsha’s House, I would be struggling a whole lot more,” he reflects. “I feel stable and I have faith in the future.”

Kristian is featured in our latest print newsletter, available here.