Clarksdale, Mississippi

The Project

In Clarksdale’s Brickyard neighborhood, the only path connecting two public schools, a community health center, and the area’s sole grocery store had no designated crosswalks, minimal signage, and documented pedestrian safety concerns. Griot Arts partnered with the City of Clarksdale, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and local residents to transform 5,183 square feet of asphalt along the Ritchie Avenue corridor into a vibrant series of crosswalk murals and a curb extension. Led by artist Thaxton Waters with support from Aikee Mathews and Jarvis Howard, the installation engaged 25 volunteers and approximately 40 youth participants. The project created eight new designated crossings where only one or two had existed, directly addressing both food access and pedestrian safety in this predominantly low-income, African American community.

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Best Practice Highlight: Community-Centered Design For Food Equity

Rather than approaching street art as a standalone beautification effort, the Food Equity Mural Project embedded its design process within an existing food access and public health strategy. By co-locating the installation along the corridor between schools, a health center, and the neighborhood’s only full-service grocery store, the project addressed multiple community needs simultaneously. The partnership with PHA’s Rootswell initiative brought an additional $15,000 in food equity funding, demonstrating how asphalt art can serve as a catalyst for cross-sector collaboration. Post-installation, the owner of J’s Grocery reported increased walk-in customers, and hospital staff and city employees have made the corridor a regular destination.