Trust Building/s: A New Mural Series About Connection, Collaboration, and Community
We’re thrilled to share something that’s been years in the making: a powerful new mural project from two beloved Mending Walls artists, Alfonso Pérez Acosta and Noah Scalin. You may remember their impactful 2020 mural Together We Rise, created in response to the racial justice movement after the murder of George Floyd. That mural sparked vital conversations—and now, they’re back to continue that dialogue with a bold new collaboration called Trust Building/s.
Reuniting Through Art
Alfonso and Noah’s original collaboration was rooted in a desire to express both the pain of the moment and the hope for progress. The resulting work remains one of our most talked-about and visited murals. Their new project builds on that legacy and deepens the conversation around what it truly means to build trust in our communities.
“Trust Building/s is about more than painting walls—it’s about breaking them down between us.”
What is Trust Building/s?
The Power of Trust, Made Visible
Trust Building/s is a four-part mural series that will spread throughout the city. These murals will be co-created with the community to come alive with the gestures, stories, and faces of real people shaped by hands that don’t all look the same but move in rhythm toward a shared goal. Each mural centered around one of the foundational elements of trust:
Consistency
Reliability
Honesty
Empathy
Honest conversations between real people who may not see eye to eye politically or socially but are willing to listen and connect will inspire each of them.
In Partnership with One Small Step
To bring these murals to life, Alfonso and Noah are teaming up with Mending Walls and One Small Step, a project by StoryCorps that invites strangers with different political views to sit down and talk—not to debate, but to understand one another better.
Noah & Alfonso will work with different couples who have taken part in One Small Step. They will be photographed in poses that express trust and support for one another. The conversations they have afterward will help shape each mural, allowing the artwork to reflect their personal stories and viewpoints.
Our first mural is RELIABILITY and was inspired by Kaitlin & Toi’s One Small Step conversation. They spent an afternoon at our Mending Walls photographer, Kat Jones’ studio trying different poses having to trust one another along the way.
You will see how these conversations and poses inspired Noah & Alfonso’s upcoming mural!
Get Involved: Volunteer With Us!
We believe public art should be created with the public. That’s why we’re inviting you to be a part of the painting process!
Join us for a community volunteer day:
🗓 Saturday, April 12th
⏰ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 Location: 1118 W Main Street, Richmond 23220
👉 Sign up to volunteer here before April 9th
No painting experience needed— just bring your energy, openness, and a willingness to be part of something meaningful.
Art That Keeps the Conversation Going
Each mural will feature interactive QR codes linking to:
Behind-the-scenes videos of the mural-making process
Podcast recordings and interviews with participants
Original One Small Step conversations
Ways to keep building trust in your own circles
We want these murals to live beyond the walls they’re painted on—to spark curiosity, dialogue, and action in everyone who sees them.
Support the Work
We’re currently seeking sponsors and community partners to support the Trust Building/s project. If you're interested in helping fund this transformative work, please reach out to us at info@mendingwallsrva.com.
Together, we’re not just painting murals—we’re building bridges.
Thank you for being a part of this journey with us. We can’t wait to show you what’s next.
