Markeshia Ricks Photo
Mijae and Marquis grace the side of the CenterPointe Complex building.
Next up: We are a city of youth.
On the heels of an art installation on the Green that declared “We Are: A Nation of Immigrants”, a new installation is going up on buildings throughout the city declaring that the youth of the city matter.
As part of an “I Matter” photo series, photographer Rob Goldman has teamed up with New Haven to display banner-sized photos of his work throughout the city featuring portraits of teens and young adults throughout the city and a statement from each of them about their self-worth.
Photographer Goldman: This is the first time “I Matter” is a citywide project.
Goldman described the project Thursday during an unveiling of two of the eventual 100 banners that will go up not just downtown, but throughout the city. The first two banners went up Thursday on the side of the CenterPointe Complex owned by Michael and Tony Schaffer of C.A. White Inc, which owns several buildings downtown. The banners are on the building that is home to the Dollar Tree store on Chapel Street. NHR Properties will host the next set of banners at the corner of Orange and Chapel streets on the side of the building that is home to Tikkaway.
“I’ve been working on the I matter project for six years and we’ve had smaller installations at different colleges and libraries,” Goldman said. “The idea that a city is now behind the project is just an incredible experience for me.”
He said the project is designed to educate the public through the voices and faces of young people to start a conversation about the challenges they face. He said giving space traditionally reserved for advertising to young people to express themselves is a way of selling hope instead of products.
“This is more of a way to engage in conversation with our kids, not for parents to talk about their kids,” he said. “A really key piece of my ask is ‘Let’s look at young people as young people and people who have a voice and mind and have a lot to say.”
Mayor Toni Harp said her administration has worked to tackle the transitional needs of the city’s youth. That’s why the city has developed programs like Youth Stat, revitalized the Police Activity League, and implemented restorative practices throughout the school district to address disciplinary matters. Other programs that have been implemented to engage the city’s youth include a three-on-three basketball tournament in the summer and a Microsoft coding camp.
“All of this activity is meant to provide safe, supervised, productive outlets for the youthful energy, creativity, and exuberance of the city’s
young people,” she said.
She called the “I Matter” project an artistic and public way for young people in the city to talk about the challenges they face and to spur a public conversation about those challenges and the angst they feel because of them.
“It’s quite literally ‘dangerous’ for young people these days to internalize their thoughts, feelings, and inclinations that can lead to anti-social and even self-destructive behavior,” she said. “‘I Matter’ is meant to provide an external outlet for these negative leanings and provide for young people a different perspective so they can work to ‘right-size’ the challenges they face.
“As mayor, I’m so proud New Haven is hosting this initiative, and I applaud the partnership among Youth Services and the artistic directors for their
collaboration,” she added.
Building owner Michael Schaffer.
Michael Shaffer of C.A. White Inc. and his brother Tony Shaffer were approached to participate in the “I Matter” project. His family has invested in the city for almost 100 years; they considered this was another way to give back. (Shaffer owns the Centerpointe building at Church and Chapel.)
“We are glad to do this to help the city,” he said. “It’s important that all owners and individuals participate in making this a stronger better community.”
“We appreciate this,” he added. “It wasn’t a very pretty façade to start off with and we think this adds immensely to the building that is important to this community and our downtown.”
Goldman, who moved to Guilford from Long Island, said the vision for the project is for it to grow to a national presence. Prior to New Haven signing on to host a citywide version, the project was exhibited in smaller venues. He said another component of the citywide project is to put illuminated towers with similar images of local youth and young adults on Dixwell Avenue.
The idea is to put the faces not only downtown but also in the neighborhoods where they come from to create a sense of pride in the community. The images downtown are also about reclaiming space for New Haveners who don’t feel downtown is for everyone.
Bartlett: Let 100 banners bloom.
City Youth Services Director Jason Bartlett said that said the project speaks to issues that young people face, including depression and anxiety, which can lead some young people to consider suicide and substance abuse.
“Here in New Haven we want to use this forum to allow young people to express themselves and build self-esteem,” he said. “I don’t know a better way to have self-esteem than for that young lady there bring her friends and family to Chapel Street and have people in the community see her on the side of a building.
Bartlett said the city is asking other building owners in the city to step forward and offer space so that more banners can be put up. They’re also asking corporations, foundations and those who care about the youth in the city to help defray the cost of getting the banners installed.
Win Davis.
Win Davis, executive director of the Town Green District, said he couldn’t be prouder that downtown is among the sections of the city that gets to host the art installation.
“I think it is safe to say this is the future of New Haven becoming the present,” he said. “We’re very grateful to Rob for connecting with the city and all the time spent working together to make this come together. It really will add to the vibrancy and local flavor that we really are proud of downtown.”
Andy Wolf.
Andy Wolf, who heads up the city’s arts and cultural affairs department, said that he saw the “I Matter” project as a continuation of the way a city that is “as progressive and enlightened as New Haven” provides a platform for those in the community who don’t always have a voice or presence in the city.
Watch the Facebook Live video below to catch the “I Matter” project unveiling.