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The Light We Carry

Chloe Alexander | 2025

A rendering of The Light We Carry by Chloe Alexander before installation.

The Light We Carry, located at the Ralph David Abernathy underpass along the Atlanta Beltline Southwest Trail, explores themes of health equity, community care, and collective resilience. At a time when widening health disparities affect vulnerable neighbors, this project serves as both a visual landmark and a catalyst for public engagement, policy awareness, and neighborhood pride.

This mural by Chloe Alexander celebrates themes of health equity, community care, and collective resilience by centering two young figures surrounded by vibrant symbols and radiant light. Their upward gazes reflect hope, possibility, and a future shaped by care and connection. The inclusion of birds and butterflies, which are symbols of transformation, joy, and spiritual continuity, offers a visual metaphor for growth, healing, and the power of collective action. The concentric forms behind each figure act like halos or suns, illuminating their presence and honoring the value of every community member, especially the youth who will inherit and shape the future. Placing Black and Brown youth in a position of visibility, strength, and beauty, the work invites the community to reflect on how resources, care, and policies must support all its members, especially those who are most at risk. It encourages residents to see themselves as essential contributors to a thriving, healthy neighborhood, where wellness is not a privilege but a shared right.

This mural is commissioned as part of Thriving Together Atlanta, a Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge project produced in partnership with the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, the National Black Arts Festival (NBAF), and Out of Hand Theater.

About the Artist

Chloe Alexander

Chloe Alexander is a printmaker who lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. Her most recent work focuses on using various printing techniques to create unique works and varied editions. She obtained a BFA from the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design at Georgia State University in 2010. Since then, her work has been exhibited broadly, including at Claire Oliver Gallery in Harlem, the International Print Center in New York, and the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair in London. Chloe has received several awards, including the Parent Artist Award at Kala Art Institute in Berkeley, California, and the Penland Summer Residency Fellowship at Penland School of Craft in North Carolina. Her work is included in numerous public and private collections, including the Harvard Museums in Cambridge, MA; The Museum of Fine Art in Boston, MA; The Fidelity Investments Art Collection; and The Petrucci Family Foundation for African American Art in Asbury, NJ.

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