Last month, New York City officials and community members gathered in Brooklyn to celebrate the grand opening of a remarkable new facility: a state-of-the-art, $128 million multi-service center located in the heart of the Brownsville neighborhood. The sprawling project, brought to life through a collaborative effort involving multiple city agencies, is designed to serve as a vital hub for local residents, offering an array of community resources under one roof. But beyond its architectural scale and administrative purpose, the building’s most striking feature greets visitors the moment they arrive.
Integrated directly into the building’s infrastructure is an extensive public art commission titled I Am Protected (2026), created by local artist and community educator Jazmine Hayes. Commissioned through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs’ (DCLA) Percent for Art program, the four-part installation spans each of the building’s entryways. The designs are rich with symbolism, channeling the deep cultural history of Brownsville’s residents while intentionally carving out physical and emotional space for youth ambition, imagination, and curiosity.
For Hayes, who grew up just next door in the East New York neighborhood, the project was both a professional milestone and a deeply personal calling. Familiar with the unique social landscape, challenges, and rich heritage of central Brooklyn, Hayes approached the commission with a clear mission: to foster a profound sense of safety, affirmation, and belonging for everyone who crosses the threshold.
"I genuinely want any child that walks through this door to be and feel protected," Hayes told Hyperallergic in an interview following the unveiling. "I want them to have affirmations of care, support, and community."
The centerpiece of the installation, a poignant design titled "In My Mother’s Garden," sets the tone for the broader thematic elements woven throughout the building’s entrances. Through vibrant imagery and thoughtful composition, the artwork reflects the resilience, generational strength, and cultural roots of Brownsville. Rather than treating public art as a mere decorative afterthought, Hayes and the city agencies involved integrated the pieces as foundational elements of the multi-service center’s welcoming environment, ensuring that community members see their own histories and futures reflected in the physical space.
The unveiling ceremony brought together key figures from the city’s cultural and infrastructural sectors. Standing alongside Hayes at the debut were DCLA Commissioner Diya Vij and Sergio Pardo López, the director of the Department’s Percent for Art program, among other municipal officials and community leaders. The event highlighted the successful collaboration between city agencies—including the Department of Design and Construction (DDC)—and local creatives to ensure that public investments in infrastructure are matched by meaningful investments in community identity and culture.
Hayes’s selection for the prestigious Percent for Art commission is rooted in her established track record of community-engaged art within the borough. Born and raised in East New York, Hayes developed an intimate knowledge of neighboring Brownsville, building authentic ties with its residents through years of creative and educational work. When the DCLA reached out regarding the multi-service center project, Hayes was well-positioned to understand the gravity and potential of the space.
This commission follows another major public artwork completed by Hayes nearby just a year prior. For that project, titled You Deserve Ease and Joy, Hayes partnered with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to bring uplifting, care-centered art to the Brownsville Houses. That previous experience allowed Hayes to further refine her artistic vocabulary around themes of community displacement, resilience, and emotional sanctuary—motifs that return with renewed depth in I Am Protected.
The opening of the $128 million facility represents a significant municipal investment in Brownsville, a neighborhood historically impacted by systemic disinvestment and displacement. By embedding Hayes’s empowering visual narratives into the very entryways of the multi-service center, the city and the artist have created a public landmark where social services and cultural affirmation meet. As children and families navigate the new building in the months and years to come, they will be welcomed by an environment explicitly designed to honor their resilience and champion their futures.
