"What started out as an artistic project quickly turned into a team building experience. The youth learned the importance of letting everyone be heard and finding common ground to move the project forward."

A walk through the Mission District reveals a rich tradition of murals that depict the life and heritage of our diverse neighborhood. Residents honor murals because of their cultural resonance and as a result they often escape the graffiti tagging that has afflicted so many urban communities. Our award winning bike shop, Pedal Revolution, has been a visible fixture in the Mission for years due in great part to its vibrant mural. The artwork not only catches the eye of our biking clients, but also represents a greater connection to the community’s cultural acceptance and endorsement of art.

This year, the facade of our Youth Space warehouse was “tagged” with gang signs on four separate occasions. Taggers saw our attempts at painting over the gang signs (and as a result our painted name) as a blank slate, which only perpetuated the rivaling tag marks on our warehouse. In response to the graffiti this summer, our youth development staff decided to launch a new mural project to create a visible presence for the New Door Venture brand in the Mission. The project was designed to foster youth teamwork and to visually connect our Youth Space with the adjoining Pedal Revolution.

For many, this was the first opportunity to participate in a project of this scale, as well as to hear that their ideas and opinions were valuable. New Door Ventures is not new to mural projects. Last summer, the youth designed and painted a 10’ X 20’ indoor mural that is the centerpiece of our Youth Space. With the past success of the indoor mural, NDV embarked on this new project as another opportunity for youth participation and leadership.

“I loved being part of the project,“ said LaLa, an 18-year old intern at Pedal Revolution. “I’ve never gotten to create something in the community like that, something I can show other people that I was part of.”

In the first phase, NDV staff came up with a basic design template. In the second phase, five young people worked with our staff to come up with design elements such as cardboard stencils, spray paint colors, and images like the Golden Gate Bridge and the SF skyline to represent our connection to the community. “It is very important to our youth that the mural communicates that they take pride in being a part of the San Francisco community,” shared Dan Quon, project manager.

Even though New Door Ventures is located next door to our social enterprise, most of our clients and supporters did not see a visible connection. The young people involved in the project integrated Pedal Revolution’s colorful design with New Door Ventures’ mural. The project had its share of physical challenges as well. The cutting out of complex stencils and the hours of spray painting led to aching hands and blisters.

What started out as an artistic project quickly turned into a team building experience. The youth learned the importance of letting everyone be heard and finding common ground to move the project forward. They sited the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of the project and to collaborate on the artistic elements as a very rewarding experience.

“On the last day, everyone came back to help with the last details,” said Monica, a 20-year old intern at Pedal Revolution who is taking art and photography classes at City College this fall. “Nobody had to be here, but we all wanted to see it come together. It made a huge difference, to be part of it from beginning to end.”

By participating in the Mural Project, youth successfully created a respected mural that has not been tagged since and therefore helps establish the Youth Space as a neutral and safe space. They have participated in creating a mural that is now a part of the Mission landscape that they can share with friends and family in years to come.

It is also an artistic expression that the community values. Neighbors, Pedal Revolution customers and even police officers stopped by to learn about the mural project and the work of New Door Ventures. They were all moved by our mission and thankful that we were in the Mission District as a valuable resource and a source of support for young people in San Francisco.

- Adam See, Development Director, New Door Ventures