First-of-its-kind mural dedicated in Philadelphia's Gayborhood honors often forgotten ballroom history
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A first-of-its-kind mural is being dedicated in the Gayborhood. It honors Philadelphia's ballroom community celebrating 30 years of a cornerstone of LGBTQ+ history.
"So much magic has happened on these streets, you have no idea," Jacen Bowman, a Supreme Ballroom Icon and King Mother Haus of Moncler, said.
For Bowman, a stroll down 13th Street in Philadelphia's Gayborhood is a stroll into his childhood.
"When I came down 13th Street, I will never forget it, I was a senior in high school in 1999," Bowman said.
That was the first time he felt the magic of the ballroom scene.
A once underground LGBTQ+ subculture, where mostly LGBTQ+ people of color would create chosen families in the form of Houses and compete in pageants.
"Being 16 years old when I first found out about this jungle that we call the Gayborhood, I like many thought I was the only gay person in the world," Bowman said.
Since then, Bowman has traveled the world. In the ballroom, he is an icon, legend and hall of famer.
"Green Eggs Café. This used to be the Nile," Bowman said. "So literally Balls would happen here back in the day. It's interesting to see how the Gayborhood over the years has shifted."
Bowman said that shift gave him an idea to honor an often forgotten ballroom history.
Sanders: "What was it that made you say we need a mural dedicated to ballroom in Philadelphia?"
Bowman: "I was a kid looking for validation. I was a kid looking for acceptance. I just wanted to feel free. And ballroom was my space I was able to feel free."
He contacted the Mural Arts of Philadelphia and connected with Nyasa Hendrix, formerly with Mural Arts Program and muralist Nile Livingston, both part of the project.
"It was important for me to be part of this project because one, I am a Black Queer person and I have wanted to be part of a project that was historical and a monument for Black Queer bodies and Black Queer faces," Hendrix said. "So many things that we associate with Queer culture at large really come from ballroom culture."
"The mural is about giving legendary Philadelphia ballroom figures their flowers," Livingston said.
In the mural, there are faces of Philadelphia ballroom legends. Some are no longer here to see how they have paved the way for a younger generation.
"They will see how many people on the mural that actually fought to get to where we are right now," Bowman said.
"Stacey Blahnik, who is right there with the yellow sweater next to Michael Gaskins who is the founder of Philadelphia Ballroom. She was a trans woman that was murdered," Bowman said. "Renee Karan, at the top, who was the Queen of Philadelphia ballroom, the mother of all mothers here."
He hopes the mural gives Philly's ballroom community a space to celebrate and just like his 16-year-old self, ballroom's magic is found in their chosen families.
"To see their faces and see their stories and understand and have people look at this mural and see themselves and see their representation," Bowman said.
The mural is on 13th Street between Spruce and Pine.
The dedication is being held from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Thursday at the William Way LGBT Community Center.
It's free for anyone to attend.
