FROM ROOT TO BLOOM Mural by Singha Hon Now on View at Marcus Garvey Park Gates

“From Root to Bloom,” a new mural installation by artist Singha Hon is now on view at Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem through August 22, 2026. Hon created the artwork while working at MOERJ through DCLA's Public Artist in Residence (PAIR) program. Installed along the park's 120th Street entrance through NYC Parks' Art in the Parks program, the large-scale installation transforms the park gates into an immersive landscape that explores the deep roots and ongoing evolution of equity and racial justice work in New York City. An accompanying permanent installation of the mural is also on view at MOERJ's offices in Manhattan. Extending the project's reach beyond these installations, select New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and Queens Public Library branches will also distribute bookmarks featuring details from “From Root to Bloom” alongside information about MOERJ's resources.

"Public Artist in Residence Singha Hon's 'From Root to Bloom' mural shows how every step toward progress we make today stands on the hard-fought legacies of social justice movements and movement leaders from decades past, from civil rights, gay rights, and Black Lives Matter, to Shirley Chisholm and activists like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera,” said NYC Cultural Affairs Commissioner Diya Vij. "Alongside our partners at the Mayor's Office of Equity and Racial Justice and NYC Parks, we're proud to invite the public to learn how these movements shape our city's work fostering equity and forging a stronger and more just city for us all."

“'From Root to Bloom' reflects how vibrant and diverse New York City truly is, showing how communities come together to build rather than collide, and how the global majority is meaningfully reflected across the city," said NYC Chief Equity Officer and NYC Mayor's Office of Equity & Racial Justice Commissioner Afua Atta-Mensah. “This public artwork is rooted in everyday life experiences where New Yorkers can see themselves reflected, engage with ideas of fairness and belonging, and better understand how equity shows up across gender, race, sexuality, age, and community. This work speaks to New York City's strength through its people, cultures, lived experiences, and histories that coexist and move forward together.”

Singha Hon's “From Root to Bloom” traces the history the of equity and racial justice work in New York City that laid the foundation for the Mayor's Office of Equity & Racial Justice, which was founded in 2023. Hon's work honors the people, policies, and movements that have shaped equity initiatives across the city. The artwork features a network of roots symbolizing the connection between MOERJ and its partner offices, including the Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs, Commission on Gender Equity, NYC Her Future, and the Young Men's Initiative, while the flourishing garden above represents the outcomes of that collective labor.

Beginning in November 2024, Hon was embedded within MOERJ as part of the PAIR program, a collaboration between DCLA and City agencies that integrates artists into government to address civic challenges. During her residency, Hon conducted one-on-one interviews, attended agency events, and led public and internal workshops to better understand the work of equity-focused initiatives across the city.

The installation is placed in Marcus Garvey Park, a location selected for its accessibility, proximity to transit, and connection to nearby schools, libraries, and community spaces, ensuring the work reaches audiences at the center of MOERJ's mission. The park is located within a Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity (TRIE) neighborhood, one of 33 communities the City identified as hardest hit by COVID-19 and prioritized for addressing longstanding systemic inequities.

The launch of “From Root to Bloom” comes as New York City advances a broader, citywide commitment to equity. Earlier this year, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani released the City's first-ever Preliminary Citywide Racial Equity Plan, a comprehensive, governmentwide framework outlining measurable strategies to address longstanding disparities and promote systemic change across agencies. In this context, Hon's work offers a powerful reflection of that effort, visualizing equity as a living, interconnected system shaped by generations of collective action.

In addition to the park installation, elements of “From Root to Bloom” will be distributed citywide through a series of printed bookmarks and available at select library branches. These materials will feature vignettes from the artwork alongside information about MOERJ's resources for the public.