Brooklyn leaders and the artist behind the George Floyd Mural, Kenny Altidor, hosted a neighborhood event celebrating the legacy of John Lewis on Feb. 21, on what would have been Lewis' 82nd Birthday, reported Brownstoner.
Community advocate Monique Chandler-Waterman and Altidor hosted the event in front of a new mural of Lewis on East 56th Street and Clarendon Road, freshly painted by Altidor in honor of the civil rights leader.
"Today as we honor John Lewis, and his legacy I call on all of us here to roll up our sleeves to make a difference — we all have a role to play to uplift our community," Chandler-Waterman said.
"Let's elevate our future and create a world that is better than we left it. That is what John Lewis and so many other freedom fighters did for us."
Altidor hopes that his mural work will help people remember the importance of advocacy and the fight for reform.
"The Civil Rights Movement, freedom of speech NYS, and our democratic leaders have been pushing for reforms and this should be visible to everyone."
Altidor plans to continue his work on the mural over the next few weeks.
