The People's Bus
New York City | 2021 - Present
New York City Civic Engagement Commission and
their Artist in Residence, Yazmany Arboleda.
Bus Design Lead | Territorial Empathy
$ | Placekeeping | Public Art
The People's Bus was formerly used to transport people detained on Rikers Island from 2009 to 2021. It has been transformed - with input from New Yorkers - into a community center on wheels, with the purpose of engaging people in NYC’s civic life through beauty and joy.
Photo credit: The People's bus, Yazmany Arboleda, Corazon Aguirre, and Illuminate Cities
Territorial Empathy led the architectural transformation of The People’s Bus, guided by an intersectional engagement process with the People’s Fellows. The vision: to create an adaptive, sustainable, and inclusive space that reimagines and transcends the bus’s former role as a symbol of oppression.
The Bus’s striking “Rainbow Chrome” exterior pays tribute to Mierle Laderman Ukeles, New York City’s first artist-in-residence, who in 1983 transformed a sanitation truck into The Social Mirror, a powerful reflection on labor and dignity.
Inside, the ceiling — often referred to as the Sistine Chapel of The People’s Bus — is adorned with 8.8 million recycled beads sourced from Materials for the Arts. Each bead represents one resident of New York City, a tribute to our collective identity.
This stunning mosaic was hand-crafted by Mujeres en Movimiento, a women-led collective that spreads joy and healing through traditional crafts from their native pueblos. The design was inspired by drawings and ideas shared by New Yorkers during The People’s Bus Ranked Choice Voting Tour, making the final artwork a true reflection of community vision and creativity
The Richmond Hill Arts Festival brought neighbors together for a joyful celebration of culture, creativity, and community at Lt. Frank McConnell Park. The event marked a major milestone in over a year and a half of community organizing and engagement.
The day began with the debut of Flood Sensor Aunty - A powerful performance that spotlighted the impacts of climate change and the vital role of community connection in building resilience. We hosted a community toy swap and inaugurated the new “Little Library” book exchange hub.
As always, snacks and refreshments—samosas, doubles, and chai—were provided.
The People's Festival
New York City | August 20th to September 3rd, 2021 in all five boroughs
The People’s Festival is a community-led initiative that celebrates the resilience and spirit of New Yorkers.
Featuring The People’s Bus, The Ice Cream Truck of Rights, local artists, community organizations, and neighborhood leaders, the festival brought together live performances, storytelling, and interactive workshops — all while offering free ice cream, engaging programming, and access to vital information and community resources.
This joyful and impactful event was conceived by the Civic Engagement Commission (CEC) in partnership with the People’s Fellows — CEC’s youth leadership program composed of 14–20-year-olds who co-led and shaped the festival’s vision and implementation.
Photo credit: The People's bus, Yazmany Arboleda, Corazon Aguirre, and Illuminate Cities
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PROJECT TEAM
Concept + Artistic Direction & Production
Yazmany Arboleda
Partners
Territorial Empathy
Mujeres en Movimiento
People's Fellows
Isabella Baugher, Kweku Brew, Sydney Bryant, Mohamed Camara, Marissa Campiz, Diamond Carter, Kayley Chery, Samaya Gonzalez, Hugo Gonzalez, Mira Gupta, Savannah Lee Henry, Joel Igbe, Kadija Kone, Elvis Luna, Byron Munoz, Sikirat Mustapha, Faizah Nooraan, Emma Rehac, Saima Rocca, Ramon Rodriguez, Eden Rollé, Obrian Rosario, Maryam Salmanova, Jess Shannon, Jaoquin Soto, Paul Tapia, Wena Teng
Collaborators
Hive Public Space
Expedition Works
COLAB-1
Illuminate Cities Project
Touching Land
Hosts
Queens Museum
The Clemente Soto Velez
Brooklyn Navy Yard