“The Story of Johnson Park Center” Celebrates 30 Years of Community and Honors Two Founding Visionaries
UTICA, NY — The Johnson Park Community Center (JPC), located at 1415 West Street, Utica, NY 13501, invites the public to a mural reveal celebration on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, from 4:00–6:00 PM. The free event marks the completion of “The Story of Johnson Park Center” a sweeping, community-made mural spanning three walls of the Center’s first floor.
The mural’s first brushstrokes were made on the evening of November 14, 2025, timed to honor JPC’s 30th anniversary of serving Utica’s Cornhill neighborhood. Led by the nonprofit art organization The Art Thing Collaborative and its lead artist Angela DeCarlis, the mural was created not only by professional artists but by the very people whose lives JPC has shaped—including staff members and the youth who participate in the Center’s programs. Founded on a mission to unite communities through shared creative expression, The Art Thing Collaborative opened the process to all, allowing community members to contribute their hands—and their stories—to a work that reflects three decades of resilience, growth, and connection.
The mural is dedicated to two women who have given their lives to this community: Reverend Dr. Scates and Reverend Meier. Rev. Dr. Scates, JPC’s CEO and Founder, whose vision gave birth to the organization, and Rev. Meier, whose day-to-day perseverance and dedication on the ground has been equally vital, have together helped transform the Johnson Park–Cornhill neighborhood into what it is today: a place of safety, healing, and opportunity.
For 30 years, JPC has delivered essential daily services to Utica’s most vulnerable residents, including a three-days-a-week Food Pantry, safe and supportive housing, a women’s emergency shelter, and a youth educational and empowerment program. These services represent more than programs—they represent a community’s belief that every person deserves a path toward a thriving life.
Join JPC on April 22 as the mural unfurls in full color—a living testament to the power of community, the courage of two extraordinary women, and the healing that becomes possible when people come together to create lasting change.
