Pride and Progress

This mural was designed and created by lead artist, Ann Northrop, but she worked with a team of 15 assistants.

The mural occupies the entire west wall of the William Way Center, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender community center in Philadelphia. The mural is 55’ high and 165’ wide. It depicts a gay pride festival. Some of the surrounding buildings and nearby landmarks, including the Drake Hotel, are included in the mural.

On the far left side of the mural (Locust street side) is a man pasting up a poster depicting the gay civil rights march held in 1966. This section gives an historic and political context to the mural. The rest of the mural reveals a sunny plaza with a crowd of celebrants.

Throughout the mural there is diversity of people including old, young, people of various races, sexual orientations, and families—to show the diversity of this community.

Ann says that one of the wonderful things about working on the mural was the people who came by daily to give their appreciation and support.
Ann is excited about the opportunity to state publicly, with this mural, the feelings about the good in people and the importance that people are accepted and that their love be accepted and celebrated. She hopes this mural is a catalyst for increased tolerance of the real diversity among people.

Although Ann is not herself a member of the gay community, her sister and her sister’s partner are depicted on the far right side of the mural.