Brooklyn, New York
Blue construction barriers are almost as common as pigeons in New York City. Many of them are blank or plastered with ads. As the restaurant Shake Shack built a new storefront in the heart of downtown Brooklyn, their generous team turned their barriers into a constructive place for the community—and one of the longest Before I Die walls ever. Theresa Mullen, who spearheaded the installation, shared stories of how thew wall unfolded over its three-month life. “Hardly anyone writes anymore, so it was especially poignant to see all this sharing with the written word,” she said. “I watched a woman stand for a long time, reading, smiling, thinking. She finally wrote ‘Find God’ in small words and started crying. All of this sharing amongst total strangers in such a heavily trafficked location was breathtaking.”
I want to bring peace of mind to my mom.
I want to be someone's favorite.
I want to live without fearing death.
I want to lose this damn weight.
I want to pay my student loans.
I want to get an 'A' in math.
I want to eat mad tacos.
I want to be the next Oprah.
I want to buy Mom a house.
I want to have peace on earth.
I want to end racism.
I want to understand my purpose.
I want to publish a novel.
I want to stop smoking and become a singer.