As part of the SF LGBT Center’s mural project series, Alma was invited to install a new mural on the exterior of the Center’s building in the summer of 2023. “We are thrilled to announce queer artist and educator Alma Landeta as our newly selected muralist for the Center’s ongoing mural project. At a time when queer and trans people are facing a barrage of legal discrimination and hatred, Alma's vision honors the spaces where queer joy can flourish and how important joy is to fuel our collective action. This mural serves as a powerful reminder of how queer joy binds, nourishes, and strengthens us.” - Jennifer Valles, Director of Programs at SF LGBT Center. 

The mural, Joy is the Fuel, is inspired by those precious and fleeting moments of joy surrounded by queer community on the dance floor. Alma sought to honor those sacred communal spaces that bring much-needed joy for the LGBTQAI+ community. The mural depicts a queer dance party and speaks to how queer joy is the fuel for our collective strength. As attacks on queer and trans people continue to rise, it is when we come together that we can celebrate our resilience. “We dare to be joyous in the face of violence. Queer dance parties may seem trivial—but with so much at stake for LGBTQ people right now, it is so much more. It is visceral; it is urgent; it is necessary to be joyous together. Through this mural, I hope queer and trans people feel seen and loved.” - Alma Landeta

Alma was selected from a diverse pool of muralist candidates who submitted project proposals through an open callout for new mural artists in 2022. After months of reviewing mural submissions based on the artists’ vision for the mural, alignment with Center values, community involvement, and how their artistic point of view connects to our local community's interests, our mural committee, led by our new Associate Director of Cultural Programs, Timothy Hampton, and comprised of key Center staff with a background in arts or incredibly passionate about amplifying local queer artistry, selected Alma, who accepted the project in June 2023. “I’m so grateful to lead the expansion of our arts & culture offerings through our new Cultural Programs department. With the mural project being one of our first major community offerings, it was essential for us to partner with an artist whose concept harmonizes with the Center’s mission to support local queer artistry. Alma’s vision sparked a fire for us, and we look forward to our multi-year partnership with such a talented artist and to continue providing a platform for even more LGBTQ+ artists in the years to come.” - Timothy Hampton, Associate Director of Cultural Programs at SF LGBT Center