FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2026
Artist Kenneth E. Parris III Invites Public to Create “Our America,” a Participatory May Day Chalk Mural in Downtown Brooklyn
A citywide call to affirm America as a space of shared opportunity, part of FALL OF FREEDOM’s national activation
NEW YORK, NY — May 1, 2026 — New York–based artist Kenneth E. Parris III will lead “Our America”, a large-scale participatory chalk mural inviting artists and community members of all ages to transform public space into a collective expression of belonging. Taking place in Columbus Park at the Brooklyn Borough Hall steps from 10:30 AM to 7:00 PM the May Day activation is part of FALL OF FREEDOM’s national call for artist-led responses to rising threats to free expression, immigrant and civil rights.
Throughout the day, participants and passersby will be invited to repeatedly handwrite the Woody Guthrie lyric, “This land is your land, this land is my land,” forming a large-scale typographic mural built line by line. The resulting work becomes an evolving visual field that asserts America as a space of shared opportunity and reflects the diversity of voices that shape the nation.
Blending public art, performance, and civic participation, “Our America” reclaims the act of “writing lines” as a collective ritual of presence. Through a simple task and the nostalgia of chalk, each participant’s handwriting becomes both personal expression and collective testimony, forming patterns that shift and evolve with every contribution. As a temporary medium, chalk lowers barriers to participation, inviting spontaneous, intergenerational engagement while underscoring the urgency and fragility of democratic expression.
“By transforming public space into a site of shared authorship, “Our America” contributes to a broader movement using art to defend belonging, equity, and freedom of expression,” said Parris.
“This project invites people of all ages and backgrounds to crouch down with chalk like a child, as a physical embodiment of reflection, to assert a more inclusive vision of America: This land is your land, this land is my land.”
The activation aims to strengthen civic connection and demonstrate how creative practice can function as a tool for collective resistance and affirmation. “Our America” is expected to draw artists, families, students, and cultural workers, with documentation extending its reach through photography, video, and social media.
Event Details
What: Our America Participatory Chalk Mural
When: May 1, 2026 | 10:30 AM – 7:00 PM
Where: Brooklyn Borough Hall steps in Columbus Park
Admission: Free and open to the public
About Kenneth E. Parris III
Kenneth E. Parris III is a New York–based visual artist and creative director whose multidisciplinary practice spans painting, drawing, installation, and performance. His work explores interpersonal relationships and the human condition, examining how individual actions shape broader social, political, and cultural landscapes.
About Fall of Freedom
Fall of Freedom is a national call to artists, institutions, and communities to create work responding to rising threats to free expression, immigrant and civil rights, and ongoing repression and state violence. Through coordinated activations across the country, the initiative amplifies creative resistance and celebrates the experiences, cultures, and identities that shape the fabric of our nation.
Media Contact
Kenneth E. Parris III / Rain Star Management LLC
Kenneth@rainstarmgmt.com
646-526-9366
www.parris3.com / @kennethparris3