The mural depicts icons from six decades, the 1960s through the 2010s. Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, represent the 60s, as two American transgender gay liberation activists. George Takei, an openly gay actor best known for his role as Sulu in the original Star Trek series, represents the 70s. Representing the 80s is Angie Xtravaganza, a prominent transgender performer from New York who was featured in the documentary Paris is Burning. Pedro Zamora, an AIDS educator who was also one of the first openly gay men with AIDS in popular media, for the 90s. Tyron Garner and John Geddes Lawrence were the plaintiffs in the Supreme Court case that overruled a Texas sodomy law, representing the 2000s. Representing the 2010s is Edie Windsor, a leader in the United States government's recognition and protection of same-sex marriages. These icons were intentionally selected by the students to showcase important figures who aren’t as widely known and have diverse backgrounds.
Gisela Vega, Director of the LGBTQ Student Center, shared insights into the project's purpose. She explained that the piece originated in 2021 as part of a civic engagement service project for the GSS LLC 350 course: LGBTQ Community Leadership and Engagement, a required course for the GSS Living Learning Community. The Living Learning Community is a collaboration among the LGBTQ Student Center, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Housing and Residential Life.
Ryan Hires, a student involved with the course elaborated, “We ultimately chose the mural because we wanted something to last longer than us. Something that felt more than permanent and gave the chosen icons their well-deserved flowers.”
The mockup illustration of the icons was contributed by DePaul Vera, a well-known Pop Art designer and illustrator located in Miami Beach. The students then drew and painted the mural taking shifts to finish the piece. The students explained that it was a lot of work in the short term, with significant benefits in the long term.
The mural has been showcased on campus for the last two years and was also displayed in June 2021 for Pride Month, at the City of Miami Stephen P. Clark Government Center. Although the original plan was for the mural to be a permanent fixture on campus, it is now being moved to one of the largest collections of LGBTQIA+ archives in the United States. The decision for the mural to be moved came from a conversation between Vega and the director of the museum, Robert Kresten. He felt that the artwork deserved to be showcased in the museum after the students from the GSS LLC course visited and shared the details and passion behind the mural.
The Stonewall National Museum, Library, and Archive’s mission is to be a safe, welcoming place that inspires and promotes understanding through collecting, preserving, and sharing the proud culture of LGBTQIA+ people of all stories and their significant role in American history.
Director Kresten explained that at the Stonewall National Museum art pieces can be requested to be showcased across the country. It can be showcased at colleges, organizations, and other museums, or even come back to the University of Miami’s campus if requested.
“This group of students have made history. Their idea and vision of impacting the community has surpassed our University community and is now global,” states Vega.
