Community organizer and The C.U.R.E. R.A.T.E.R. nonprofit founder, Vaughn Jefferson (left), who commissioned the Dr. Frank Mickens mural, with mural artist UncuttArt.
Photo by Tracey Henry/The C.U.R.E. R.A.T.E.R.
On Oct. 19, Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant (Bed-Stuy) community celebrated Dr. Frank Mickens’ lasting legacy with the unveiling of a new mural and a day of free activities honoring his transformative impact.
The community dedicated a reimagined mural of Dr. Mickens — Boys and Girls High School’s former principal — on the outer wall of Ideal Food Basket at 830 Lafayette Ave., ensuring his legacy continues to inspire.
Spearheaded by community leader Vaughn “Buddha Chief” Jefferson and brought to life by acclaimed artist Uncuttart, the new mural flips the visual narrative of the original to depict Dr. Mickens presiding over an auditorium of graduating students.
The mural stands as a testament to Dr. Mickens’ role in inspiring intergenerational success and unity.
The updated mural continues Dr. Mickens’ legacy, showing how his influence grows within the community.
“For so many of us, the question is still ‘What would Frank Mickens do?’” said Jefferson, stating that the community came together to answer that question with action.
“By uplifting the values he stood for, we keep his legacy alive in the streets that shaped us,” he added.
Event activities reflected Dr. Mickens’ holistic approach, featuring fitness, nutrition, alumni tributes, live testimonials, and the introduction of a new community nonprofit, all of which highlighted community empowerment.
Jefferson also announced the launch of The C.U.R.E.-R.A.T.E.R. (Community Unification Resource Enterprise Revitalizing Awareness To Educate Righteousness), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting mental wellness, health equity, and community transformation.
Jefferson said a proposed street renaming in Dr. Mickens’ honor, on the corner of Stuyvesant Avenue between Fulton Street and Chauncey Street, is also “in front of Brooklyn Community Board 3.”
These initiatives demonstrate a unified effort to recognize Dr. Mickens’ positive, lasting impact on Bed-Stuy.
Across the street from the Dr. Frank Mickens mural, passersby were invited to take part in “LOVE is??? WHAT is LOVE???”, an interactive art installation by Uncuttart that invited community members to define love in their own words.
Handwritten reflections now fill the “LOVE is??? WHAT is LOVE???” panels.
In addition, the 800 Lafayette Block Association hosted a relaxed “Sip & Stoop” in which residents decorated their stoops, shared snacks, and enjoyed casual conversation in the spirit of fall and collective pride.
