Walls For Justice: Protest with a Paintbrush

A Symbol of Hope 

Walls for Justice, the brainchild of Rodriguez, was born. He wanted to use art to connect people and change the world for good. Walls for Justice’s mission is to “empower and enhance the platform of social movements, communities, people of color, and all other marginalized groups, through the use of murals, beautification projects, demonstrations, and other artistic mediums.”

You can view much of the Walls for Justice team’s work here.

Born to Fight 

For a long while, Rodriguez, 31, could not decide whether he wanted to be an artist or a professional fighter. “I decided to use art to fight for other people with other people,” said Rodriguez. “If we all can inspire just one person with our talents, we can make a difference in the world.”

Rodriguez has been teaching for more than ten years for various art organizations, but it was at Mural Arts where his journey began. He first connected with Mural Arts’ Art Education program in 2006-08 in an after-school program at Olney High School in the Olney-Oak Lane neighborhood of Philadelphia. Through Mural Arts’ Artrepreneurs program, Rodriguez learned how to navigate and prosper in the creative community,  soft and hard skills he teaches others today. He even had the opportunity to travel to Ireland, along with other budding artists and Mural Arts’ Director of Art Education Lisa Murch. In 2010, Rodriguez became a teaching artist for the Artrepreneurs Program and continues to pour into young people to this day.

Now, he is using all that he has learned to fight for a better world.

Kindness As a Passport 

Rodriguez wants Walls for Justice to be his legacy. He wants the brand to be recognized globally. And at the heart of that brand is kindness. 

One way to ensure the message of kindness transcends borders is by displaying it in the places where people come and go. Earlier this year, Rodriguez was contacted by the Philadelphia International Airport’s exhibitions program to create a unique mural for Terminal A-East Baggage Claim. The Wall for Justice team designed a colorful, pattern-filled mural that features the phrase, We the People of Tomorrow, along with iconic Philadelphia symbols. The painting acts as a friendly greeting to everyone passing through Terminal A and shares a forward-thinking dream for the future.

Learn More by watching the video below:

Ways to Get Involved 

The Walls for Justice studio is located at the Cherry Street Pier in Old City, the birthplace of American independence. The space is “a year-round, mixed-use public space on the central Delaware River waterfront.” If Rodriguez is a Superman, then Studio 8 of Cherry Street Pier is his “Fortress of Solitude,” except all are welcome. There you may find him listening to some of his favorite songs, like “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, “Smooth” by Santana, or “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra. But most importantly, there you can participate in art activities that will inspire and empower you for days to come. 

For example, later this month, on Friday, August 19, Rodriguez will lead a Mural Training Workshop. There will be a Mural Arts Student Exhibition that day, as well. On Saturday, August 20, Walls For Justice will join forces with the Better Bike Share Partnership for a community art ride along the Delaware River Trail. Along the way, murals will be highlighted, and discussions will be had about how meaningful those public artworks are to communities. After the ride, participants will have the opportunity to paint their helmets, spreading positive, friendly messages to onlookers. The event will start at the Race Street Pier Indego Station, and bikers will make their way to Penn Treaty Park. The event is FREE so sign up today, here. 

To learn more about Walls For Justice and to see their full event schedule, visit https://wallsforjustice.org/