We the Youth, the 1987 mural that has remained “young”

Simple language, universal symbols,

and a direct message make it a visual manifesto of youth culture

There is a work that seems to speak directly to Gen Z, even though it was created when Instagram did not exist and the word “viral” had nothing to do with social media. It is called We the Youth (often referred to as “We are the Youth”) and is one of the most iconic murals associated with Keith Haring. A visual manifesto that, decades later, continues to be relevant, powerful, and incredibly youthful.

What is “We the Youth”?

We the Youth is a mural created in 1987, which over time has become a symbol of collective energy, participation, and freedom of expression. The work began as a public and community project, in collaboration with students and young people from the neighborhood. It is not just street art: it is a political, cultural, and social act.

At the center are stylized figures, typical of Haring's visual language: intertwining bodies, thick lines, bright colors, movement everywhere. The words “We the Youth” stand out above a crowd of young people represented as a single, compact force. There are no realistic faces, no marked individual identities: here, it is the group that counts. It is the “we” that counts.

Where is the mural located?

The mural is located in Philadelphia, a city that has made public art a true urban identity. The work is located on a building near the William Penn Charter School, in a residential neighborhood that experienced social tensions and profound transformations in the 1980s.

Seeing it in person is a different experience from looking at photos online. The size, the chromatic impact, the urban context: everything contributes to transforming the mural into something immersive. It is not a museum piece. It is a work that breathes with the city.

Keith Haring: art as a universal language

To truly understand We the Youth, we need to talk about Keith Haring. A symbolic artist of New York pop and underground culture, Haring always used art as a direct, accessible, democratic medium. His dancing figures and pulsating lines were not just cool aesthetics: they were messages.

In the 1980s, Haring took his drawings to subways, working-class neighborhoods, and schools. He believed that art should be visible to everyone, not confined to elitist spaces. We the Youth perfectly embodies this vision: a public work, made with young people, for young people.

And there is one detail that is not insignificant: the title deliberately echoes the opening words of the US Constitution, “We the People.” Haring replaces ‘People’ with “Youth.” It is a simple but powerful gesture. As if to say: the future is ours, the voice is ours, the public space is ours.

A manifesto of youth (before it was a trend)

If we look at the mural with today's eyes, it almost looks like a street version of a motivational poster. Inclusion, collectivity, activism, shared energy. All themes that we find today in social movements and digital campaigns.

But in 1987, talking about young people as a cohesive political and cultural force was not a given. Haring anticipates a narrative that we now take for granted: young people are not ‘the future’ in a passive sense, they are the active present.

The mural thus becomes a visual manifesto of youth culture: bodies that support each other, intertwine, and form a single structure.

No one is isolated. No one is invisible. It is an image of collective empowerment that continues to work, even in the age of social media and online communities.

Why it has remained “young”

Some works age because they are linked to an outdated aesthetic. We the Youth, on the other hand, seems immune to time. The reason? Simple language, universal symbols, a direct message.

Haring's stylized figures do not belong to a specific fashion. They are archetypes. They could be kids from the 1980s, students of today, or activists of tomorrow. This timelessness is the key to its longevity.

What's more, the mural lives in urban space. It changes with the light, with the seasons, with the neighborhood as it transforms. It is a work that grows along with the city. And that keeps it alive, literally.

Travel tips: what to see besides the mural

If you're thinking of traveling to Philadelphia to see We the Youth, you should know that the city is a paradise for street art lovers. In addition to Haring's mural, you can explore dozens of works scattered throughout Center City and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Philadelphia is also pure American history: from the Liberty Bell to Independence Hall, to museums and contemporary cultural spaces. But you'll find the true mood of the city by walking among the murals, discovering how public art interacts with local communities.

The perfect itinerary? Spend the morning visiting historical sites, the afternoon hunting for iconic murals, and watch the sunset in front of We the Youth. Because yes, it's “just” a mural. But it's also a powerful reminder: youth is not a chronological age. It's a state of mind. And this, in 2026 as in 1987, still sounds incredibly relevant.