Downtown Haverhill’s The Switchboard to Unveil ‘Her Voice Carries’ Mural Friday

The Switchboard creative arts space unveils the "Her Voice Carries" mural on Oct. 5. (Courtesy photograph)

The Switchboard creative arts space unveils the “Her Voice Carries” mural on Oct. 5. (Courtesy photograph)

The Switchboard’s Hailey Moschella and Sarah LoVasco are hoping to brighten up Washington Street—and raise awareness of women’s issues—with the installation of a four-story public mural by artist Sarah C. Rutherford.

Rutherford has been at work creating the design at 43 Washington St., and on Friday, will host a public unveiling of the final design, with a closing reception that takes place at The Switchboard at 6 p.m.

The city mural is the latest in a national effort from Rutherford called “Her Voice Carries.” The project kicked off in Rochester, N.Y., as a way to highlight female advocates and promote their efforts on a public scale. Five outdoor murals were created in Rochester. For the Haverhill companion piece, Rutherford selected Rochester 19-year-old youth outreach worker and poet Shalinda Bollar to appear, and will reciprocate in her next mural’s city by painting the likeness of a Haverhill resident.

“It only feels fitting to come to Massachusetts to kick off the national tour of this project,” said Rutherford, a Bay State native.

In Rutherford’s piece, Bollar is depicted along with the quote “We will continue to rise because we are the voices of the caged bird, so let us speak because we deserve to be heard.”

For more information on the art installation, email [email protected]