Spread Love AAPI Mural | Information & FAQs
“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, Judge Righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
Proverbs 31:8-9 ESV
What is the AAPI mural initiative?
NYCAC was approached by Thrive Collective and the City of New York will host a public unveiling and celebration of the "Spread Love: Stop Asian Hate" mural set to be painted at our church building on the edge of Chinatown along highly trafficked Delancey Street will provide a vision for a more just city and world.
The mural’s unveiling during AAPI Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month will provide a unique opportunity to draw attention to issues facing the AAPI community while create space for the public to heal while in community
See Reverend Ko’s piece “Worth a Thousand Words” describing the Mural Initiative.
“Powerful images reverberate within our hearts. Often, they send a message stronger than spoken words. While writing conveys exact meaning, images cry out for our souls in unique ways. They speak for us when we cannot speak for ourselves.”
Why did we decide to lend our wall for this mural? How will this mural further the Gospel and positively affect our church?
We decided to participate because it would:
Raise NYCAC’s awareness in the local, regional and national community as a church that represents the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Provide an opportunity to speak for the voiceless in our community while raising our church’s awareness and Christ’s love within this community where we worship
Further the Kingdom of God through community outreach, through the AAPI resource fair we will be hosting in conjunction with the mural’s public unveiling celebration
What is the message of the mural?
The mural is intended to offer up a powerful message that reflects the Gospel while speaking directly on the social justice issues that’s currently affecting our Asian American community. It is an opportunity to draw attention to issues facing the AAPI community while create space for the public to heal while in community during AAPI Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month. We are hopeful that it will highlight the unconditional love of Jesus Christ while raising NYCAC’s positioning within the local community
What is the AAPI Resource Fair on May 22nd?
In conjunction with the mural’s public unveiling, we will be hosting a AAPI Resource Fair on Saturday, May 22, from 12 pm - 3 pm, so we can further the Kingdom of God through community outreach.
The block party-type event will feature more than 20 participating non-profit public health and community-based agencies to provide free resources to those in attendance such as therapeutic art, social services and COVID-19 vaccinations and rapid testing. The program of the day will include a mix of entertainment from DJ’s, live performers and free food from food trucks. There will also be remarks from Mayor De Blasio, other community leaders and officials.