Sheila Levrant de Bretteville focuses on the origins and history of the multinational community in and around Inwood. Within the station, a terrazzo paver marks the spot of the northern-most point of the A line, and metallic silver Murano mosaics compose the large letters that signal you are at a place of arrival and departure. White-glazed ceramic tiles comment on the experience of recent immigrants to New York and on the elevator wall are figures from various present-day Latino civilizations. Finally, there is a motif of flute-playing figures in terrazzo pavers on the mezzanine that comment on the role of music in the community. "Musical history resonates here," she says, "it is the soul of this community." She highlights this by etching lyrics from "Take the A Train" on the stainless steel railing of the mezzanine stairwell.

Sheila Levrant de Bretteville is a graphic designer, artist and educator whose work reflects her belief in the importance of feminist principles and user participation in graphic design. She holds a B.A. in art history from Barnard College, an M.F.A. from Yale University, as well as honorary degrees. In 1990 she became the director of the Yale University Graduate Program in Graphic Design and the first woman to receive tenure at the Yale University School of Art. In 2010 she was named the Caroline M. Street Professor of Graphic Design. The AIGA designated her a Design Legend in 2006. Her design work has appeared in numerous books, magazines, and newspapers and has been exhibited at the Walker Art Center, Hammer Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and P.S. 1. Her posters and fine press editions are in the special collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Centre Pompidou in Paris, and numerous university and public libraries.