Afromation Avenue (Germantown)

Afromation Avenue, an art project that made waves in West Philadelphia in 2022, expanded to Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood in 2023. Founded by Kristin Kelly and Brittni Jennings, Afromation Avenue is an initiative harnessing the captivating appeal of street art to produce positive affirmations throughout predominantly Black communities in Philadelphia. The Germantown iteration saw the inclusion of two new collaborative artists, Kita Rich and NOMAD.

Afromation Avenue is a collection of curated positive affirmation street signs personalized by predominantly Black/African American communities throughout Philadelphia. The project aims to create spaces for reflective thought and conversation while honoring the cultural identity of each community. Street signs are used to guide and regulate the traffic flow of people; they assist in helping others get from one familiar place to another. Afromation Avenue lends itself as a social-emotional guide in hopes of cultivating spaces where community members feel encouraged, valued, and respected. Afromation Avenue also supports the city’s “Read By 4th” early literacy movement, the School District of Philadelphia’s social-emotional learning focus, and furthers the city’s beautification initiatives. It also hopes to drive tourism to less visited areas to continue strengthening communities struggling economically.

The extension of this venture into Germantown marks a meaningful milestone in the initiative’s journey.

Location Note: This installment of Afromation Avenue is located along Germantown Avenue, including:

-Vernon Park’s Black Writers Museum, 5800 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19144: The only museum housing collections of first edition and autographed books, rare newspapers, documents and more by classic and contemporary Black writers.
-Germantown Avenue: Known for its independent Black-owned businesses, the avenue is home to Uncle Bobbie’s Bookstore, Kinesics Dance Dynamics Theatre (KDD), and Ubuntu Fine Art Gallery, “The First Black Owned, Single Artist Fine Art Photography Gallery in the World.”
-Maplewood Mall (between Greene St and Germantown Ave): Germantown’s center for Black-owned businesses.