Artist-in-residence proposes payphone installation to surface LGBTQ+ oral histories; research finds gaps in local visibility and services

Alma Landeta, the King Artist-in-Residence, presented results of eight months of research and community engagement to the Palo Alto Public Art Commission on Jan. 16, describing a proposed temporary installation in King Plaza that would play recorded oral histories from LGBTQ+ residents and callers.

Landeta said her project engaged roughly 375 people through workshops, studio visits, school outreach, open studios and a Google Voice “queries hotline.” She reported that research and partner materials point to significant mental-health concerns in the community: “nearly 25% of all Palo Alto LGBTQ residents and nearly 50% of all Palo Alto transgender residents specifically have seriously considered suicide or hurting themselves within the year,” Landeta said, citing PrideNet and national comparisons she reviewed during the residency.

Why it matters: Landeta said her work highlights persistent gaps in visibility, inclusive services and cultural representation for LGBTQ+ residents in Palo Alto and across Santa Clara County. Commissioners and staff discussed whether a public art installation that preserves anonymity while amplifying lived experience could help create safer, more visible civic space and improve resource awareness.

Res…