The new mural at Rosie's Place's offices at 47 Thorndike Street, dedicated in a ceremony with Mayor Martin J. Walsh on December 3, stands as a colorful Mount Rushmore of sorts featuring pioneering women activists who have made landmark contributions to human rights and equal opportunity. The mural depicts the late Melnea Cass and Kip Tiernan as well as living legends Frieda Garcia and Judy Norsigian, author of "Our Bodies, Ourselves", who were present for the ceremony. Also in attendance were Rosie's Place executive director Sue Marsh; State Representative Byron Rushing, Garcia's husband; and a contingent from the Mayor's Mural Crew, which created the mural, comprising director Heidi Schork, lead artist Leah Jassee and youth artist Chris Duckworth.

In his remarks, Mayor Walsh described his first interaction with Rosie's Place, in 1988 when he attended a meeting in Dorchester concerning the home for women with AIDS with children on Mt. Vernon Street. Then 21, Walsh recalled that many at the meeting, including the neighborhood's city councilor, did not seem to understand the significance of the AIDS epidemic and the need for the facility. "I was in the back of the room and I said, 'This is an important place to have in this area.' That was one of the first political stands I took, and it was a difficult stance. That goes to show the importance Rosie's Place has had in my life," Walsh said. Walsh brought up the closure of the Long Island Bridge and the displacement of services, calling it a "blessing in disguise" in forcing the city to review and revamp its services for the homeless. "We have an opportunity to do more than sheltering people, like Rosie's Place. They not only give people a safe place to be, they put wrap-around services around women and children, and that's what we have to do in the city of Boston."

Asked how she felt about being honored with both a children's park and now a mural in her lifetime, Garcia said with a laugh, "That's enough; more than enough. I couldn't have been more surprised. The mural was halfway up when I got an e-mail about it from someone and Byron and I rode by it. When I got the official notice, I sent it to all my friends," she said. Garcia is proud of her inclusion in the mural. "Rosie's Place is an incredible institution. I knew Kip Tiernan, I knew Melnea Cass, and never, ever in my life did I think I would be put in a category with those two women." Joining the conversation, Norsigian said, "I am so excited about this. It means a lot." She went on to talk about the impact of her own ground-breaking efforts. "We are heading toward the 45th anniversary of the book and the work is so important. It's become global. There have been editions around the world in different formats, different languages and women own the book, reshape it, and adapt it to their cultural needs. They've done amazing work with minimal resources." To mark the 40th anniversary of "Our Bodies, Ourselves", Norsigian's organization obtained a grant from the Ford Foundation covering travel expenses to bring 15 of the group's global partners together for a conference in the U.S. Norsigian has also traveled to Armenia, the land of her heritage to help tackle issues such as violence against women and reproductive health rights in Armenia's traditional culture.

The women commemorated in the mural are a diverse group whose collective efforts cover virtually all the bases of social justice. Kip Tiernan, who founded Rosie's Place as a shelter for homeless women on Columbus Avenue in 1974, oversaw and guided its expansion into a holistic service organization with a variety of educational, nutrition and wellness, legal and self-advocacy and arts programs designed to help guests attain self-sufficiency and homes of their own. In addition to her work at Rosie's Place, Tiernan founded the Boston Food Bank and co-founded Health Care for the Homeless, the Boston Women's Fund, Community Works and the Poor People's United Fund.

Frieda Garcia was a co-founder of La Alianza Hispana and led United South End Settlements (USES) and the Boston Foundation. After taking the helm at USES in the 1980s, she expanded the organization's outreach considerably with the launch of new programs for children as well as literacy and job training; the city's first open-access computer center and advocacy for affordable housing. Now retired, Garcia continues to volunteer with community organizations. The Frieda Garcia Park at 38 Stanhope Street was dedicated in the spring of 2013 as a recreational area for children and their parents.

Judy Norsigian is the author and editor of all nine editions of the landmark women's health book, "Our Bodies, Ourselves", from its debut in 1971 through the ninth edition, published in 2011 to mark the title's fortieth anniversary. Norsigian is also co-founder of the Boston Women's Health Book Collective, now known as Our Bodies, Ourselves, and has been its executive director. A resident of Newton, Norsigian is a speaker of international renown on women's health matters including wellness, contraception, abortion, and childbirth options including midwifery.

Civil rights and anti-poverty activist Melnea Cass founded the early education program the Kindergarten Mothers, the Freedom House and the Homemakers' Training Program civil rights and worker-advocacy groups and was the only female charter member of Action for Boston Community Development, which helped residents whose homes were taken by eminent domain for urban renewal projects.

Schork, director of the mural crew since its inception in 1991, was a longtime South End resident with a live/work space on Tremont Street, where Atelier 505 now stands, and remains fond of her old neighborhood. "I drive by almost every day and I miss it," she said. The mural crew consists of 20 to 25 youths aged 15-18 who are employed through the summer by the Boston Youth Fund and who work 25 hours per week designing and executing public art projects. Their work can be seen in every district in the city except East Boston. Crew members must be residents of Boston, and "They are selected based on interest, willingness to work hard and learn new skills," Schork explained.