Our America mobilizes artists and NYC community members of all ages to create temporary murals in public spaces using handwritten text to assert belonging and cultural plurality as an act of creative resistance within FALL OF FREEDOM’s national call. The first activation occurred on May 1st in Columbus Park around the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall in the heart of downtown Brooklyn.

Now we’re taking it to Central Park on Oct 2nd, 2026, at the Naumburg Bandshell and Literary Walk near Terrace Drive and 72nd Street. Come join!

Throughout the day, participants will handwrite the Woody Guthrie verse, “This land is your land, this land is my land,” in chalk. Individual contributions accumulate into a large-scale typographic mural, creating an evolving visual field that affirms America as a place of belonging and shared opportunity for all.

Reclaiming the act of “writing lines” from its disciplinary origins, Our America transforms an exercise of repetition into a collective ritual of presence. Variations in handwriting, scale, and placement generate evolving text patterns, creating a visual record of inclusivity and participation that reflects the diversity of people and voices that shape our nation. 

By activating accessible public spaces across New York City through a simple task and the nostalgia of chalk, Our America lowers barriers to participation, inviting broad public engagement and fostering spontaneous, intergenerational dialogue. The project enables community authorship, positioning each participant’s handwriting as both personal expression and collective testimony. As a temporary medium, chalk underscores the urgency and fragility of democratic expression while facilitating low-cost implementation and replication across other cities.

Anticipated outcomes include the creation of large-scale murals across NYC and beyond, with direct participation from dozens of artists and community members, and expanded visibility through documentation and social sharing. The project aims to strengthen connection, amplify voices often overlooked, and demonstrate how creative practice can function as a tool for collective resistance and civic affirmation.