Family Interrupted

For many, the justice system is a one-way street, where loved ones are locked away, serving time in isolation without outlets to express their emotions, offer regrets, or make amends to the communities and families they have harmed.

Family Interrupted sparks a dialogue around the impact of incarceration on families and the community at large through the mural-making process. Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Restorative Justice Program transformed a wall on Dauphin Street in North Philadelphia, creating a work designed by muralist Eric Okdeh, with input from inmates, probationers, and ex-inmates, including the State Correctional Institution at Graterford, Philadelphia Prison System, adjudicated youth, and community and family members.

Interactive Mailboxes

Colorfully painted mailboxes were placed in pre-selected locations in affected neighborhoods and visiting rooms of prisons and juvenile facilities. The mailboxes contained practical information about the impact of incarceration on families and communities, and gave people the opportunity to send messages from inmates, community members, policymakers, and others. These messages were used in the mural and on the project’s website.

The mural was restored in 2023.