The Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services and Mural Arts are coming together to help men and boys of color.

The two partnered to create “Building Brotherhood: Engaging Males of Color” (EMOC), a public art program striving to raise awareness of the challenges faced by men and boys of color. Through a series of weekly workshops in North and South Philadelphia, community town hall meetings, panel discussions, film viewings and live theatre performances around the city, the program aims to encourage dialogue about struggles like mental health issues, education jobs, etc., among African-American, Asian and Latino men.

The project will conclude with a new mural by artists Willis "Nomo" Humphrey and Keir Johnston in Dec. 2015. Humphrey and Johnston will host a series of art workshops for men and boys to help with self-expression using photography, typography, drawing and color. These workshops will  also help to inspire the mural design.

The workshops will take place now until September at three different locations in the city: Diversified Community Services Dixon House (1529 S. 22nd St.), Pro-Act Recovery Community Center (1701 W. Lehigh Ave.) and Congreso E3 Center (2800 N. American St.).

On April 27, the first town hall meeting took place at Congreso. The event featured a short film, and a panel discussion with Hector Ayala (President and CEO of Hispanic Community Counseling Services), Darryl Irizarry (Annual Fund and Alumni Relations Coordinator at Community College of Philadelphia), Mark Martinez (Author, Civil Rights Activist, Case Manager at Congreso E3 Center)and Samuel Rodriguez (Muralist and educator, Mural Arts Program).

The rest of the community town hall meetings are scheduled for:

May 18, 6 to 8 p.m. at Pro-Act Recovery Community Center (1701 W. Lehigh Ave., Unit 6)

June 22, 6 to 8 p.m. at Asian Arts Initiative (1219 Vine St.)

July 13, 6 to 8 p.m. at Diversified Community Services (1529 S. 22nd St.)

For more information and to enroll in one of the art workshops, contact Laure.Biron@muralarts.org or (215) 685-0739.