The Community Renewal Team (CRT) will honor the legacy of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (#RBG) and other remarkable women leaders with a massive public mural at the Women’s Empowerment Center in downtown Hartford.
Local, award-winning artist Micaela Levesque began painting the mural this week. She spoke with NBC Connecticut about why this new mural featuring iconic women leaders is so important, and what it means to her.
Learn more about this new mural project.
Local, award-winning artist Micaela Levesque selected to complete massive mural at 330 Market Street in Hartford
Hartford – The Community Renewal Team (CRT) is sponsoring the creation of a massive public mural that will be painted on the side of its multi-service center in Hartford (330 Market St.) to honor the life-long commitment to women’s rights and social justice of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, along with other remarkable women leaders. The artist chosen to complete the work for CRT is East Hartford resident Micaela Levesque, whose vibrant artistic vision and skilled portrait work will make this mural a landmark for downtown Hartford for years to come.
“After a long, and rigorous search process, CRT is thrilled to have chosen Ms. Levesque to complete this important mural on our behalf,” said CRT’s President and CEO, Lena Rodriguez. “We can think of no better way to honor RBG’s legacy than to ensure that her memory lives on through the work of CRT’s Women’s Empowerment Center. Justice Ginsburg’s accomplishments will be felt for decades to come. We know that all women in our community today – especially the next generation that is coming of age now – are better off because of her.”
In addition to prominently featuring Justice Ginsburg, the mural will also showcase the following female leaders:
In addition to the five portraits that will be featured in the mural, the artist plans to add a variety of painted symbols that will add to the depth and complexity of the finished work of art.
Ms. Levesque previously won the “Best in Show” award at CRT’s 2020 National Arts Program show in Hartford for a painting of her self-portrait.
“The ideas of this mural align perfectly with my own artistic vision,” said artist Micaela Levesque. “When I learned that this RBG-inspired mural would be on the side of the building for CRT’s Women’s Empowerment Center, I knew I wanted to be involved. I am so excited to bring a visual representation of these iconic women to Hartford. You will see that I am going to put myself completely into this project and will be so proud to stand behind the finished work.”
The building where the mural will be painted houses CRT’s Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Women’s Empowerment Center in Hartford, which offers a safe and open space for women from Hartford and Middlesex Counties to develop the skills they need to reach their full potential.
The goal of CRT’s Women’s Empowerment Center is to encourage women to find stable careers, establish financial security, and commit themselves to life-long personal growth and success. The Center provides specialized and holistic case management, support groups, financial literacy and personal development classes, intensive one-on-one mentorship, entrepreneurship, and leadership training to help women thrive.
The Center also offers members networking opportunities to meet successful women from various backgrounds and careers. These opportunities are essential to bridge gaps derived from economic barriers and other social determinants. Relationships developed through these networks build pathways to better futures.
CRT’s Women’s Empowerment Center meets a critical regional need. Of the female-headed households living in Hartford, 46.6% do not have a spouse or partner present (source). Additionally, 29% of females living in Hartford are living below the poverty line (source). CRT has a history of offering female-centric initiatives (e.g., helping women gain employment skills, leave abusive circumstances, decrease substance use and recidivism, and enabling grandparents, particularly grandmothers, to raise their grandchildren). CRT’s Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Women’s Empowerment Center represents the culmination of these efforts.
Work on this massive mural – it is expected that it will be visible to passing cars on I-91 – began on August 17, 2021, and Ms. Levesque anticipates completing the project in approximately five weeks.
While it will be possible for the public to see the work being done to complete the mural over the next five weeks, a public unveiling and celebration of this tribute to RBG and other women leaders is being planned for mid-September (exact date to be announced).
This mural was made possible by a Neighborhood Beautification grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.
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Editor’s Note: Artist Micaela Levesque is available for media interviews, upon request. It is anticipated that Ms. Levesque will be on-site painting six days a week, from 10 am – 7 pm each day, with a one-hour break per day.
Additionally, high resolution files of conceptual sketches by the artist depicting what the mural may look like upon completion are available for publication.
