Vaseline's Mended Murals Initiative Utilizes Street Art to Spread Awareness and Skin Health and Access in Underserved Patients, Individuals With Skin of Color

"African in America" by artist Ernest Shaw Jr, Baltimore, MD. Image courtesy of Vaseline.

In an effort to address systemic racism and health care disparities affecting people of color, Vaseline has announced the launch of Mended Murals,¹ a street art initiative aimed at promoting skin health equity. The initiative seeks to highlight the importance of skin care for underrepresented communities through the restoration of murals in various cities across the United States.

Through this initiative, Vaseline aims to raise awareness about the significance of proper skin care and the need for increased access to health resources in marginalized communities.

The Mended Murals project draws inspiration from the concept of restoring faded murals, symbolizing the restoration of neglected aspects of health care for communities of color. Vaseline is partnering with artists from diverse backgrounds to not only revive these artistic expressions but to also support local clinics that provide necessary health services to surrounding neighborhoods.

Mended Murals has already made strides in cities such as Baltimore, Maryland; Brooklyn, New York; and Hartford, Connecticut, where mural restorations have already been commissioned. The art installations also feature QR codes linking community members to SeeMySkin.com, a platform dedicated to skin health resources tailored for people of color.

Vaseline first launched SeeMySkin.com in 2022² as a database tailored to provide patients and clinicians with the capability to search for and visualize skin conditions in varying skin tones. SeeMySkin is also capable of connecting patients to dermatologists and educational resources.

Furthermore, Vaseline has pledged $250,000 to health clinics in each city where murals are restored.

To engage with communities and amplify awareness, Vaseline will host a panel discussion featuring journalist Elaine Welteroth, muralist Ernest Shaw Jr, dermatologist Adewole Adamson, MD, MPP, and industry leaders from Unilever. The panel will convene on March 9 to delve into topics of representation and the importance of skin health equity.

For those interested in learning more about Mended Murals and accessing skin health resources, visit SeeMySkin.com/MendedMurals.

References

1. Vaseline unveils 'Mended Murals' initiative: Restoring street art to underscore importance of skin health. News release. PR NewsWire. February 21, 2024. Accessed February 21, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vaseline-unveils-mended-murals-initiative-restoring-street-art-to-underscore-importance-of-skin-health-302067498.html#:~:text=Mended%20Murals%20is%20a%20multi,to%20be%20celebrated%20and%20seen.
2. Vaseline launches See My Skin - The only database designed to search for conditions on skin of color and connect patients with dermatologists who understand their skin care needs. News release. PR Newswire. April 18, 2022. Accessed February 21, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vaseline-launches-see-my-skin--the-only-database-designed-to-search-for-conditions-on-skin-of-color-and-connect-patients-with-dermatologists-who-understand-their-skin-care-needs-301527230.html