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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- For Kamor Olayokun, an assistant principal at P.S. 78 in Stapleton, this years Juneteenth was an opportunity for him to teach fellow students of color about black history first hand, and give them a chance to rewrite it.

Olayokun, his students, and about a hundred other Staten Islanders descended on Richmond Terrace Friday to paint the citys second Black Lives Matter street mural at the base of Borough Hall, Staten Islands courthouses and the 120 Precinct.

This is history for us, this is our opportunity of changing the narrative for young people of color so we had to be here, said Olayokun, who brought along a group of 10 high school, middle school and elementary students of color to help paint the mural.

This is another way for them to express themselves and to be heard, a lot of this work is not in the textbooks, but heres their opportunity to rewrite the textbooks, he said.

Many longtime Staten Islanders who showed up Friday said they would have never imagined a phrase honoring black people on Juneteenth, the day commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, would ever be written on one of the most important areas on Staten Island.

I never thought [this mural] would actually happen, especially it being Juneteenth, said lifelong Staten Islander Tracy Henriquez or West Brighton. It just resonates all the more and really solidifies that I am a true Staten Islander and its a real melting pot and people can embrace everyone.

North Shore Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-Staten Island) said she chose the location for the Islands Black Lives Matter street mural to make a statement to those going to and from the Staten Island Ferry, heading to the boroughs seat of government, seeking justice at the Islands courthouses and in front of the 120 Precinct, which she said has disproportionately policed the Islands black community for years.

For [the mural] to be at the front door of the 120th Precinct where many of the officers worked that were involved in over-policing of black communities, this speaks volumes, Rose said. This is a constant reminder of how important Black Lives Matter is and its especially significant on Juneteenth.

Following nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd, a black Minneapolis man who died at the hands of a white cop, who kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced one street in every borough would be renamed Black Lives Matter and a road would be painted to match the sign.

The mayor paid a visit to the borough Friday to help paint the Islands new mural and unveil its new Black Lives Matter Plaza street sign at Wall Street and Richmond Terrace outside of the 120 Precinct.

SOME WONDER WHERE THE OTHER ISLAND LEADERS ARE

Aside from de Blasio, the only other elected officials who attended the street mural painting were the boroughs two black politicians -- Councilwoman Rose and Assemblyman Charles Fall (D-North Shore).

Some Staten Islanders said they were upset that the 10 other borough lawmakers did not show up, especially fellow North Shore lawmaker State Sen. Diane Savino and Borough President James Oddo, whose office sits right above the street mural.

Michelle Akyempong or Arlington. who attended some of the Islands police accountability protests in recent weeks, said she was not satisfied by Island elected officials response to the protests.

Im not satisfied with the electeds out here, I think they should be doing more, this is an election year, were theyre constituents, they should be concerned about their constituents especially on the North Shore, said Akyempong.

We also have a state senator who should be out here [Diane Savino] maybe shes doing something, but I think that sometimes you just have to come out and show support for the people who have voted for you. The borough president, Akyempong continued.

Savinos office said the state senator did not receive an invitation to the street painting, while Oddos office did not return requests for comment about why he did not attend.

Ryan Lavis, a spokesman for District Attorney Micheal McMahon said McMahon was unable to attend because of previously scheduled matters but applauded the work of the volunteers who showed up Friday.

The Islands seven other lawmakers either did not return requests for comment about their whereabouts at press time or said they were not invited to the street painting.

Councilwoman Rose, who organized Fridays event, admitted she did not extend the invitation to fellow elected officials, including Assemblyman Fall, but said they should have known about the widely publicized event and come on their own.

ISLAND LEADERS LACK OF ATTENDANCE SHOWS DISCONNECT WITHIN COMMUNITY, ROSE SAYS

Rose said their lack of attendance showed a disconnect within the Staten Island community.

The fact that anybody would think that they had to have an invitation to be here, especially an elected official, I didnt reach out to Charles Fall, the fact that were still thinking in silos and thinking in color, along racial lines, she said.

This is not a black event because if this is a black event then the message is being missed, she said.

We dont need hope, we need eminent change, said Taiwan Prince of St. George. We need to teach people to not only paint these words today, but respect them going forward.

We have to be ready to truly break down these systems, said City Council candidate Amoy Barnes. We can sit here and march until the cows come home but if were not ready to get in there and do the disciplined work, its not going to happen. We have to work together.

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Hundreds gather to paint Black Lives Matter across Richmond Terrace to mark Juneteenth - SILive.com