The team of artists who worked on the Hartford Changemakers project
Murals recognizing the contributions of people of color to Hartford’s rich history will be unveiled at virtual ceremonies taking place August 29 and September 17.

In an effort to update the traditional historical narrative of Hartford, Hartford Public Library worked with city teens, elders, and local artists to create public art celebrating the stories of city change makers from the Black, Latinx, and indigenous communities.

The murals, created as a result of a series of community workshops, will be at the following locations:

Melanin - Albany Ave & Blue Hills
Mural reveal: August 29, 3-5pm
 
Art Box, 777 Park Street
Mural reveal: September 17, 5:30-7:30 pm
 
Viewers can watch both celebrations live streamed on Hartford Public Library’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. These live streamed celebrations will feature an unveiling of the mural celebrating Hartford Changemakers and a showcasing of artwork produced by summer workshop participants. Tune in for live dance and music performances, as well as a showcase of photography and storytelling.
Hartford Public Library has received $14,810 in funding from Cigna to pilot a new program called ARTLink, a series of community art workshops dedicated to increasing awareness around mental health through the arts.

ARTLink, a mental health wellness art series, will consist of four series of community art workshops – podcasting, keyboarding, pottery and visual arts – all taught by working artists. Each series will host workshops with five participants, in line with COVID19 safety protocols, and each series will offer weekly workshops starting in October for a six-week period.
HPL will be hosting virtual School Choice Information Sessions on Wednesday, September 16 and Tuesday, September 29.

Representatives from the School Choice program will be on hand to answer questions about enrollment for the 2021-22 school year.

Both sessions will take place from 4:30 to 5:30 pm. To register for the event, e-mail schoolchoiceoffice@hplct.org,
click here, or call 860-306-9757 or 860-969-9148.

Participants will be eligible to enter a raffle to win backpacks filled with school supplies and family pizza dinner certificates.

“Parents should attend because it will give them all the information they need to make decisions about the upcoming school year and to learn what they need for the current school year,” said Rajranie Busgith, school choice coordinator. 
Stressed about whether to send your child back to school, and need help thinking it through? Worried your child will struggle with new routines, and want tips to make things easier? Here’s all the information you need, straight from Connecticut Children's pediatric experts.
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Co-Founder Hartford Black Panthers, Longtime Community Organizer
1931-2006 
Jazz alto saxophonist, composer, educator
Puerto Rican Community Advocate - social services, religious leader
“In the library, time is dammed up -- not just stopped but saved. The library is a gathering pool of narratives and of the people who came to find them. It is where we can glimpse immortality; in the library, we can live forever.”
― Susan Orlean, The Library Book