On Thursday, Aug. 15, Brooklyn Org (formerly the Brooklyn Community Foundation), in partnership with Groundswell, unveiled an inspiring new mural called “Show Brooklyn Some Love.” 

Created by Groundswell teaching artist Carlos Mateu and five students, the vivid artwork embodies the joy, harmony and pride that defines Brooklyn by capturing the essence of everyday life in the borough. 

The 500-square-foot mural, prominently displayed on the street-level facade of Atlantic Terminal Mall next to Party City, was brought to life during a Community Paint Day on Thursday, Aug. 16. More than 40 volunteers joined Brooklyn Org and Groundswell to complete the project.

Show Brooklyn Some Love celebrates Brooklyn’s unique cultural and artistic landscape, featuring scenes from daily life — ranging from friends gathering on a stoop, to Brooklynites playing basketball in a playground, to gardeners nurturing neighborhood greenspaces, and musicians sharing their melodies. 

“This mural is a tribute to the vibrant, interconnected fabric of Brooklyn. It’s a celebration of our daily interactions and the cultural richness that makes this borough unique,” said Groundswell artist Carlos Mateu.

“It’s always a pleasure to work with Brooklyn.org and we are delighted to collaborate with Atlantic Center Mall on this project. This mural will reflect the unique joys of Brooklyn and the proud spirit of its residents, including Groundswell.” said Amy Sananman, founder of Groundswell.

This endeavor is part of Brooklyn Org’s awareness campaign, “Show Brooklyn Some Love,” which launched this summer. The campaign encourages Brooklyn residents to actively support grassroots organizations driving social change within the borough. 

Despite being home to 30% of the city’s population and 30% of the City’s nonprofits, Brooklyn organizations receive just 7.6% of charitable funding. The “Show Brooklyn Some Love” campaign seeks to address this disparity by inspiring a new wave of Brooklynites to champion local initiatives and foster a more equitable borough.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Groundswell and our community to bring this mural to life,” said Jocelynne Rainey, president and CEO of Brooklyn Org. “It’s a testament to the incredible spirit of Brooklyn and a call to action for residents to support the grassroots organizations making a difference.”

Brooklyn Org is a champion for Brooklyn bringing together community changemakers — the families and businesses, the grassroots leaders,  growing companies, local nonprofits and the communities they serve — to be a new model for local philanthropy, built from the ground up, in pursuit of a more equitable and just borough.

Since its founding in 2009 as the Brooklyn Community Foundation, Brooklyn Org has moved over $120 million to nonprofits through its strategic grantmaking and donor-advised funds, while driving action to address urgent crises and long-term change in Brooklyn. Each year, Brooklyn Org partners with Brooklyn residents to invest more than $5 million in high-impact nonprofits advancing racial justice at every level across the borough. 

In1996, a group of Brooklyn artists, educators, and grassroots activists founded Groundswell. Groundswell brings together artists, youth, and community organizations to use art as a tool for social change. Over 28 years later, Groundswell has more than 600 murals throughout New York. Groundswell’s art studio is located in Gowanus.

Atlantic Terminal and Atlantic Center Mall are premier destinations for shopping, dining and leisure located in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn. Serving the Brooklyn community for 20 years, these retail hubs, originally developed by Forest City Realty Trust, are currently owned by Madison International Realty. Atlantic Center Mall is located at 139 Flatbush Ave. 

Madison International Realty (www.madisonint.com) provides equity capital for recapitalizations, partner buyouts and capital infusions. It acquires joint ventures, limited partnerships and co-investment interests as principals.  In addition, Madison provides strategic growth capital to established, middle-market real estate operating platform, seeking to accelerate their growth and investment programs.