Carly Freeman was one of hundreds of volunteers who flocked to Main Street in Burlington Sunday to make her contribution to a community statement against racism: a few pumpkin-orange paint strokes on the city’s new Black Lives Matter street mural.
Freeman, a senior at Champlain College, carried an artfully lettered “F— Donald Trump” cardboard sign and a matching tote bag as she surveyed the ongoing effort — partly painted big block letters, which spanned nearly two blocks between South Winooski Avenue and St. Paul Street.
The mural was part political statement and part beacon of new, antiracist policies she hoped would be ushered in. “Art really affects political movements,” she said. “This is a peaceful way to show our support” for the movement.
Burlington joins dozens of cities across the country that created similar street painting after George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis in May
Last month, Montpelier residents lettered “Black Lives Matter” in front of the Statehouse. The mural was vandalized within 24 hours. Police reported that the letters had been smeared with mud and motor oil, and graffiti was painted alongside the street. Residents have since repaired the mural.
Less official street art in Underhill and Jericho have also been vandalized.
Burlington City Councilor Karen Paul, D-Ward 6, attended the June 13 volunteer event in Montpelier and decided to introduce a similar resolution in the Queen City.
“It’s something I thought Burlington should do,” she said in an interview. “We’re a community that cares about its neighbors and cares about justice.” The measure was passed unanimously by the council on Monday.
Paul fundraised to help pay for the paint and other supplies — about $2,000, she said — and enlisted the organization Friends of Bernie Sanders to help recruit volunteers. The Department of Public Works blocked off the street Sunday morning, and ordered the necessary materials for the project; local architects and artists designed the lettering, Paul said.
A street mural isn’t just “performative,” Paul said. She described the volunteer effort as “the beginning of the journey” to combat racism. The council had also approved $1 million to fund racial justice efforts and last week, Mayor Miro Weinberger declared racism a public health emergency.
By 2 p.m., a line of people stretched up Church Street to help out with the job. Volunteers handed out name tags, hand sanitizer, and Ben & Jerry’s free cone coupons from under pop-up tents. Each participant was assigned to help paint one of the mural’s big block letters; when their turn came, each wet a roller with orange paint, and filled in part of the outlined letter with a few strokes of paint.
The idea? To involve as many people as possible “so they own this sign,” said Barbie Alsop, a volunteer who presided over the painting of the letter ‘B.’ Alsop, a Burlington resident, had been recruited for the job by Friends of Bernie, and happily agreed to help out. “I think it’s time the city finally did something,” she said.
Under the shade of the Chittenden Superior Court House, members of the Jeh Kulu Dance and Drum theater played djembe and doundoun drums in a rolling beat. That was their way of showing support, said Ismael Bangoura. Attendees snapped selfies in front of the street; a few carried cardboard Black Lives Matter signs.
By 3 p.m. roughly 300 people had contributed to the effort. It wasn’t just Vermonters who pitched in. Rebecca Thompson, 20, had helped out with the Montpelier mural last month. On Sunday, she brought along friends from Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. Racism is “more visceral” in his home state of California, said Socrates Cruz, a recent Vermont transplant. But “it’s important for all communities to show they’re allies.” Even in predominantly white New England, “it’s just as big a statement,” he said.
The mural will remain on the street through October 2023, at which point “the City Council will consider next steps,” according to the resolution. Until then, volunteers, with the help of the city’s Department of Public Works, will touch up the mural.
If it needs any work down the line, Freeman said she’d be on call. “I’d be down to come back and keep painting,” she said.
