ATLANTA — Abandoned and blighted land in Atlanta is creating safety issues in the city. While city leaders are trying to take on private owners who neglect their properties, some public parks in Atlanta also remain neglected.
A nonprofit is playing the long game to take care of those spaces and to make sure children can play in safe and beautiful places.
Empty and rundown courts can attract trouble in the city. To Arelious Cooper, the message to children is black and white.
"We are not showing our kids that we are investing in them," he said.
He founded Art in the Paint to bring color back into play. From tennis to basketball courts, the art in the paint is adding new vibrancy to the game.
The change can feel stark. Cooper said that's the point.
"Having kids see, Monday, it looks like this. Next Monday, it looks totally different," he explained, adding that it can encourage children to make changes in their lives, too.
He works with Ryan Lowe to resurface the courts based on the community design.
Rowe said it gives people in the neighborhood a voice for what they want their community to look like.
"It's drawing people together, and we need that nowadays; we need things to draw us together so we can all work together," he said.
Stroke by stroke, Art in the Paint is changing how communities look and feel.
"I want them to have a safe place to play, and I want it to be beautiful for them," he said about people enjoying the spaces.
With some color, the organization takes rundown courts across the city and create joy. The goal is to inspire children to also think of a brighter future.
Muralist Drew Borders wants the kids to see themselves on the court.
"I want to inspire the dreamers, I want to keep them motivated," said Borders.
Motivation that can turn a neglected property to a gathering spot.
"We want to be able to come in a community and say, 'Hey, this is for you. Let's build. The court is the beginning of the process of making the neighborhood better," said Cooper.
Dozens of communities have created their own vibrant designs, like the Coco Gauff-inspired court at the East Atlanta Kids Club.
"I want to see kids, particularly Black and brown kids to see Coco and like, 'oh my gosh, she's doing this and I can too,'" said Borders.
Clark Atlanta University Tennis Coach Daisha Reed works with the kids on their strokes and their self esteem out on the court.
She said how it looks matters.
"Representation. Letting them know that people actually care about their growth and care about the facilities that they play in. Just knowing the care is there," said Reed.
Transforming the court is just the start of the change. The nonprofit keeps showing up in the community after the paint is dry. Teams work to provide free financial literacy services, therapy, and have even created an app to help stop fights out on the court.
"I've never seen anyone get shot on a pink basketball court. It just doesn't happen like that," said Cooper.
He said cleaning up the courts makes the community safer for the kids.
"I want the kids in this community and all the communities we work in to understand that they matter. That someone cares about them. That someone's willing to invest in them," he said.
To learn more about Art in the Paint projects, click here.