“As a life-long resident, I'd like to believe this piece represents the joy we all feel when we call Jackson Heights our home. I created This piece to reflect our collective pride, from the color palette to the mural's subject focus and scale." - Erick Teran, artist
“My goal with the JHCM was to give our community a voice in deciding what about our neighborhood gets seen, highlighted, and celebrated. I did this by sharing a survey with JH residents to help inform the mural’s design, through to the hand-print activity that invited residents to literally have a hand in the making of this community mural. I also focused on creating a work of art that celebrated our neighborhood and my home. From the ‘Jackson Heights’ historic district brown color in the text to the rainbow acknowledging our deep roots with the LGBTQIA+ community, every decision in the mural was intentional and based on this specific community. ”
“Having distributed a survey to collect input from residents, the answers provided validation and important input as to what should be represented: diversity, inclusivity, the wide variety of foods and restaurants, the farmers market, our local park, and open streets. It was also a space where I decided to include personal affections like the view of the Manhattan skyline from Northern Blvd, and the Jackson Heights Public Library where I spent hours reading. I wanted us to declare to the world what made Jackson Heights special, not the other way around. It’s why I added ‘The Whole World In One Neighborhood,’ based on an anonymous survey reply that succinctly described how I had always felt about this magical place called Jackson Heights.
- Erick Teran, July 2022