Learning From Women Muralists of San Francisco’s Mission District

On Wednesday October 25th, students in the Sun Room, East Enders, Skylights and Middle School attended a special assembly. Everyone gathered in the Big Room to watch the film Las Muralistas: Our Walls, Our Stories. It’s a documentary produced by SFMOMA about the women muralists of San Francisco’s Mission District.

I learned about this film from alum parent Maria Sanchez, mom of Ana and Antonio. She connected me with Myisa Plancq-Graham, content producer of SFMOMA. Since May, we had been working to coordinate a day and time to share this inspiring film with our students. She invited three of the featured artists, Susan Cervantes (founder of Precita Eyes), Smokie Arce, and Irene Pérez to join us for the screening!

After the viewing, the artists introduced themselves and the students had some time to ask them questions. These artists have been painting murals in the community for decades, and all three had worked on the murals of The Women’s Building. 

Here is a link to the film: https://www.sfmoma.org/watch/las-muralistas-our-walls-our-stories/

Las Muralistas was made as a part of a larger digital publication called Proyecto Mission Murals. On the site you’ll find oral histories, pictures of existing and archival murals, a mural map, essays about the Mural Movement of the 1970s and 80s, as well as a 50-minute “Audio Zine” hosted by writer and book store owner Josiah Luis Alderete and writer Olivia Peña, which takes listeners on an immersive walking tour of murals and other special sites in the Mission.

Photos of the vests to Synergy by Barby Lobb, Development Assistant.