Panel: Voices from Our Community and from Within San Quentin

Tuesday, 1/13/2026
6:00 - 7:30
Latino/Hispanic Meeting Room A
Main Library

100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
United States

415-557-4400

Global artist eL Seed shares his experience painting complementary murals on the exterior wall of the Orpheum Theater and inside San Quentin Prison through San Quentin Skunkworks’ Chiaroscuro Initiative. 

"Light Within the Shadows: Voices from our community and from within San Quentin, sharing lived experiences shaped by systems of social injustice."  —  Kai, San Quentin Skunkworks 

This bold art initiative invites global artists to paint murals that reimagine San Quentin as a living gallery of beauty, reflection and reform, and serves as a testament to the power of art in rehabilitation. eL Seed’s practice is rooted in community engagement, humanity and storytelling, using art as a tool for connecting across culture, space and lived experience. As part of this public program, we will invite community members, including individuals impacted by San Quentin and the broader justice system, to share personal stories in conversation with the artist, creating an intimate setting for reflection, dialogue and shared understanding. The intention is to create a space where art and testimony come together to honor the light found even within the shadows, and to elevate voices too often unheard.  

Connect  

eL Seed — Website 

San Quentin Skunkworks — Website  

Paint the Void — Website 

Mid-Market Business Association — Website  

Community & Neighborhood

Build connections with others in our local programs.

Art, Architecture & Photography

Learn from world-class designers, artists and experts in their fields. 

This program is sponsored by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.

Attending Programs

All programs are drop-in (no registration necessary) unless otherwise noted. All SFPL locations are wheelchair accessible. For accommodations (such as ASL), call (415) 557-4557 or contact accessibility@sfpl.org. Requesting at least 3 business days in advance will help ensure availability.

This program will be conducted in English unless otherwise noted.

Notice: This event may be filmed or photographed. By participating in this event, you consent to have your likeness used for the Library’s archival purposes and promotional materials. If you do not want to be photographed, please inform a staff person or the photographer. A sticker will be provided to help identify you so that we can avoid capturing your image.

Public Notice and Disclaimer

This program uses a third-party website link. By clicking on the third-party website link, you will leave SFPL's website and enter a website not operated by SFPL. This service may collect personally identifying information about you, such as name, username, email address, and password. This service will treat the information it collects about you pursuant to its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of each third-party website or service that you visit or use, including those third parties with whom you interact through our Library services. For more information about these third-party links, please see the section of SFPL’s Privacy Policy describing Links to Other Sites.

The views and opinions expressed in programs presented by groups unaffiliated with SFPL do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SFPL or the City.