State pushes for Downtown
Gallup 988 mural
By Molly Ann Howell
Managing Editor
To raise awareness for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the New Mexico Health Care Authority wants to bring a massive public mural to downtown Gallup—but city leaders are hesitant to hand over public wall space.
Julie Rastetter, founder of LOKA Creatives, presented the proposal to the Gallup City Council during its Oct. 13 meeting. Partnering with the state’s Behavioral Health Services Division, LOKA Creatives aims to paint murals across New Mexico to promote the 988 lifeline.
In Gallup, organizers proposed painting a 24-by-24-foot mural on the rear wall of the Gallup Children’s Library at 200 W. Aztec Ave.
Rastetter clarified at the meeting that the agenda misidentified the site as the Children’s Museum. However, she noted that Gallup’s Marketing and Tourism Manager, Matt Robinson, alongside Facilities Manager Lawrence Griego, had previously indicated approval for the project in a June 17 email.
“We proposed putting it [on the Children’s Library] because it’s embedded in your community,” Rastetter said. “We’d like to put it there instead of spending money on impermanent billboards.”
Native American art collective NSRGNTS, an apparel brand advocating for Indigenous rights and visibility, will design and paint the mural.
Funding comes entirely from the state’s 988 initiative at no cost to the city. Organizers emphasize that the mural is a public health initiative rather than a commercial advertisement, offering a visual connection to 988—a free, confidential, 24/7 lifeline replacing the old ten-digit crisis number.
“We’d like to reach people where they work, live, and gather with this important message because every life saved begins with a connection,” Rastetter told the council. “None of our New Mexico communities have been spared the devastating impacts of suicide, overdose, substance misuse, trauma, and behavioral health challenges.”
The initiative comes at a critical time, as the U.S. suicide rate stands at 14.4 deaths per 100,000 people. Yet, local efforts are showing promise. Statewide, 988 has fielded nearly 292,000 calls, including roughly 4,800 in McKinley County and 2,800 in Gallup alone. Following the line’s creation, suicide rates among New Mexico’s Native American population dropped 43% between 2022 and 2023, while the state’s overall suicide rate dropped 19% from 2024 to 2025.
Despite the program’s success, city officials expressed reservations about using the location.
Councilor Sierra Yazzie Asamoa-Tutu, Dist. 2, questioned the presentation’s purpose, asking if the council needed to select an alternative location.
Mayor Marc DePauli suggested moving the message to a billboard near Highway 66 to promote more visibility.
As is, the proposed location is in the middle of a walkway, and isn’t visible to people who may be driving by.
“There’s no reason to put [the mural] some place where you might get five or 10 views a day, where if you have it on Highway 66 you can get 1,000 to 2,000 views a day,” DePauli said in an interview with the Sun.
City Manager Frank Chiapetti warned that approving the project could set a risky precedent.
Historically, Gallup has only approved purely artistic or historical murals, never messaging from non-profit organizations.
“I’d hate to start the precedent for all non-profits,” Chiapetti said, expressing concern that the city could run out of wall space if other organizations request similar access.
He suggested Rastetter and the state seek out a public building outside city jurisdiction instead.
The council ultimately decided to table the issue.
Chiapetti suggested that Rastetter connect with the city’s Behavioral Health Manager Debra Martinez and other outreach groups to discuss other location possibilities.
