Women’s Way Grand Rapids

Etta Smith Wilson Way

Grand Rapids Chicks Way

Ethel Coe Way

Angeline Kelsey "Naw Kay o say" Yob Way

Located in the alley off Sheldon Blvd NE between the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum and The Apartment Lounge.

Angeline Kelsey "Naw Kay o say" Yob
1924-2002

The descendant and ancestor of Chiefs, Angeline Kelsey “Naw Kay o say” Yob was an educator, community activist and citizen of the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians. She was the great-great-granddaughter of Chief Maish Ke Aw She, one of the signatories of the Treaty of 1855, which provided the terms for the removal of the Ottawa from the Grand River Valley.

Yob, at the age of five, experienced her own forced move to a Native American Boarding School. Still, she retained her native language and would go on to help lead the Native American Education Program at Grand Rapids Public Schools. For three decades, she used stories as teaching instruments to help students of Native American descent learn and grow in their traditions.

Statement by Artist Alan Compo

Angeline Kelsey Yob helped establish many of the first groups for the Grand Rapidian Native Americans. The turtle shows all the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians. The kids dancing represent the culture, and the knowledge that Angeline brought children. I placed her portrait within the medicine wheel because of the constant lessons within.

Maurilia Ortiz Blakely Way

Located in the alley off Fulton St. W next to San Chez Bistro

Maurilia Ortiz Blakely | 1928 – 2015

Maurilia Ortiz Blakely was a role model, a champion for minority women’s rights, an activist for the poor and an advocate for higher education.

Orphaned at an early age, her maternal aunt raised her to have great respect for their Mexican heritage and to help the less fortunate. A divorced working mother of five, Blakely was a force in her community and helped organize Grand Rapids’ first Mexican Festival in 1970.

After graduating from college with a degree in Social Work at age 51, she assisted Latinx students, women, migrants, the homeless and the unemployed and helped to establish the Hispanic Institute. Among her many honors was a Grand Rapids Lifetime Achievement Award.

Statement by Artist Arturo Romero

This portrait of Maurilia “Molly” Ortiz Blakely intends to depict her strength as a woman, her humility and the pride she had for her culture, family and community. I was inspired by her ability to command respect while encouraging love as well as her perseverance to help others reach for the stars.

Harriet Woods Hill Way

Located in the alley off Louis St. NW at the northwest corner of the Grand Rapids Police Department.

Harriet Woods Hill
1922-2006

Harriet Woods Hill in 1955 became the first African American female officer in the Grand Rapids Police Department. Her career began in the Juvenile Division, and she later trained new recruits about the challenges faced by children. Hill, in 1977, was named the first female detective in the department’s 106-year history. “I came there to do a job, and I wasn’t going to allow [anyone] to force me to quit working because [of their] prejudices,” she said. “Once the door was opened, I never allowed it to become closed.”

Statement by Artist Jasmine Bruce

Harriet Woods Hill was resilient and humble. Symbolism flows through this piece as waves pay ode to Harriet’s hometown leading to the old-time Grand Rapids cityscape. Lotus flowers symbolize her growth out of muddy waters, all the while soaring above.

Dr. Ella Mary Sims Way

Located in the alley off Weston Street at the northeast corner of Weston Apartments.

Dr. Ella Mary Sims
1924 - 2013

Dr. Ella Mary Sims was an exceptional member of the community, known for her unwavering activism and strong religious beliefs.

Her contributions to Grand Rapids were nothing short of remarkable, including helping establish the Women's Resource Center at the YWCA in 1973 and becoming the first woman of color to write a column for The Grand Rapids Press. Sims was a tireless advocate for many causes, notably securing federal funding for the Campau Commons public housing project. Her legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire and serve as a shining example for generations to come.

Statement by Artist Dustin Hunt

Dr. Sims was persistent, committed, persuasive, and driven by her faith. A giant among giants, as she was recognized in 2005, among many other awards, for her achievements. Dr. Sims was involved with many organizations in Grand Rapids over the course of several decades. So, how does one depict her work in a single mural? I wove a colorful cloud through the entire piece, beginning in the fields of Mississippi near a sharecropper’s cabin where she spent her early years, up to a vibrant portrait of Dr. Sims in her later years. I chose to focus on a few key concepts. After learning of her involvement with the Grand Rapids Study Club, and their motto of “rowing not drifting”, I chose to include a row boat, surrounded by several ripples, signifying Dr. Sims’ far reaching impact in the community. Several people noted that most did not see Dr. Sims’ impact, but they surely felt it, even without knowing it. I wanted to emphasize persistence. I also embedded some of Dr.Sims’ characteristics I pulled from interviews and obituaries from friends and family. Another consideration for this piece is the placement. I chose design elements that run horizontal ie; the clouds, fields, and ripples, to draw the viewer’s eyes all the way down the alley-like driveway. I chose to work with a semi limited color palette for the three panels leading up to the portrait of Dr. Sims. This allows for the colors found within Dr. Sims portrait to pop and further draw viewers’ eyes and interest towards the right side of the mural.”