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.

Research, partners and methods Landeta described a mixed outreach program that included library workshops, a city-hosted listening forum run by the Office of LGBTQ Affairs, one-on-one interviews conducted in partnership with PrideNet, outreach to school-district liaisons and collaborators, and a public “queries hotline” where callers could leave anonymous audio statements. She listed partners and resources that informed the research: PrideNet, Queer Silicon Valley (a documentary/archive project), Avenidas Senior Center, the Santa Clara County Office of Education LGBTQ liaison, the Q Corner (a Two-Spirit/LGBTQIA+ wellness center), Galaxy Community Center and local libraries.

Themes from community engagement Landeta summarized recurring themes from testimonies and interviews: a lack of visible, culturally responsive resources and representation; encounters with hostility and trauma in schools and public life; the importance of creative and social spaces for identity affirmation and resilience; the invisibility of some LGBTQ+ people who remain “stealth” for safety reasons; and intersectional concerns for queer people of color. She presented multiple anonymous testimonies collected through the hotline and interviews—some described affirming experiences, others recounted traumatic or exclusionary encounters in schools and neighborhoods.

Proposed installation and technical details Landeta described a proposed temporary installation for King Plaza: a retrofitted payphone that would play curated oral histories and anonymous recordings, set within a reflective, cocoon-like metal shell with gestural cutouts to invite visitors to walk a coiled path to the phone. She said the payphone would act as a listening station; the installed unit would loop audio rather than function as a live recording line. The queries hotline remains open and she said she will continue to add audio to the archive. Landeta said she had spent approximately 300 hours at Cubberley Studios developing the portraits and audio materials referenced in her report.

Commissioner and staff discussion Commissioners and staff asked about the possibility of making the payphone a recording device, moderation of incoming messages, and technical and fabrication logistics. Landeta said the installed phone would be a playback device and that callers could leave messages on the project’s Google Voice number for possible inclusion. Staff offered to help with logistical solutions—including moderation—and commissioners suggested options such as human review and automated filtering. One commissioner suggested exploring machine‑assisted transcription and content filtering to identify hate speech while preserving authentic testimony; Landeta and staff noted the challenge of preserving nuance and the need for careful moderation.

Next steps and timeline Staff told the Commission the proposal is an early concept; Landeta and staff are identifying fabricators, engineers and materials, and will return with a detailed design for Commission review and approval. Landeta indicated she hopes to have a resolved design by mid‑February 2025 and noted the project report and hotline information will be posted to the residency webpage for continued contributions.

Context and resources Landeta framed the installation as a way to surface “anonymous visibility” for LGBTQ+ residents—recognition that some community members are present but not visibly represented in civic life. She pointed Commissioners to archival and community resources (Queer Silicon Valley, PrideNet, local LGBTQ centers) she consulted during the residency and asked Commissioners to consider the project’s potential to expand civic awareness and create safer, affirming public space.