Communion between a rock and a hard place

Communication Between a Rock and a Hard Place by artists Willis “Nomo” Humphrey and Phillip Adams is located in West Philadelphia. Mural Arts Philadelphia and Warrior Writers brought the community together to support veterans returning to our city. Partnering with veterans organizations, universities, service providers, and community members, the project hosted a series of events including art and writing workshops for veterans, community discussions, exhibitions, and painting activities, which culminated in the creation of a landmark mural.

The goal of the project was to bring veterans, many of whom struggle in silence, into a conversation with fellow community members to share their stories and build a better network for troops returning home.

Of the project, Sean Casey, a Warrior Writers volunteer who was stationed in Iraq from 2006-2009 as an Army Captain, said, “Having organizations like Mural Arts and Warrior Writers that are supportive of us veterans is humbling to say the least. For many of us it’s difficult to come back to our communities and this project is an amazing opportunity for the city to understand and become more aware of our experiences. The project also will allow us veterans an opportunity to share our thoughts and build a strong sense of camaraderie, which for me is something that I haven’t had in quite some time.”

Warrior Writers is an organization committed to supporting creative expression as a process of healing among veterans and raising awareness about veterans’ issues. For more information visit warriorwriters.org.

Project Partners included Drexel Veterans Association, Community College of Philadelphia Veterans’ Resource Office, Outward Bound Veterans’ Program, the Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service and Education Center, and Studio 34.