“Before I Die” Slideshow from Brooklyn (2011)

These apparently have gained popularity and have popped up around the world, but just stumbled upon some sweet pics from the original in BK that I felt like sharing.

via CandyChang.com:

"It’s easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day and forget what really matters to you. After losing someone she loved very much, Candy turned the side of an abandoned house in her neighborhood in New Orleans into a giant chalkboard where residents can write on the wall and remember what is important to them. Before I Die is a public art project that invites people to reflect on their lives and share their personal aspirations in public space. Painted with chalkboard paint and stenciled with the sentence “Before I die I want to _______”, the wall turned a neglected space into a constructive one where we can gain perspective and understand our neighbors in new and enlightening ways. Life is brief and tender, and there is a lot we can learn from the people around us to help us lead better lives.

The project blew up in ways she never expected and people’s hopes and dreams have ranged from the funny to the heartbreaking: Before I die I want to… sing for millions, see my daughter graduate, eat a salad with an alien, straddle the International Date Line, see the leaves change many times, be someone’s cavalry, make it in the hip hop, cook a souffle, hold her one more time, help numerous children, love and be loved, abandon all insecurities, be completely myself…  The project was featured in Oprah Magazine and NBC’s Rock Center with Brian Williams, and The Atlantic called it “one of the most creative community projects ever.”

After receiving many requests from people around the world, she and her Civic Center colleagues created a project site and a Before I Die Toolkit. Thanks to passionate people who’ve made walls with their communities, the project has expanded around the world, including Mexico, South Africa, the Netherlands, Portugal, Kazakhstan, and beyond. Taken together, the Before I Die project offers a snapshot of the values our neighbors hold dear. You can also take a piece of the dream home with you with a limited edition painting and submit your dreams on the project site. The project is growing every day and together we can make public spaces that better reflect what is important to us as a community and as individuals. Visit beforeidie.cc for more"