1 BART Mural Project Community Forum
Breakout Group Notes
September 11, 2025 | 6 PM – 7:30 PM
Breakout Groups:
Group Color Facilitator Scribe
Yellow Group Vanessa Munoz Michelle Ruiz
Purple Group Erin Ewing Alma Gomez
Blue Group Chastity Piedade Chris Valuckas
Green Group Jesus Garcia Trinity Gerome
Orange Group Trish Heuer Adrian Valadez
Pink Group Marissa Vera-Lopez Corina Hahn
Community & Recreation Services Director: Laura Buzo
UC BART Mural Project, Art Consultant: Evelyn Orantes
Note: Check mark (√) reflects the number of times a word and comment was repeated multiple times by community forum attendees.
Question 1: Give 1 word that best describes your experience living in the Decoto community. (prompt one word that best describes…etc.)
Yellow Group
Schools
Gladiolas & Fields √
Flowers
Church Festivals
Hayrides
Diversity
Feeling of Community and Familia
People help each other
Youth Centers to hangout as kids
Youth Leaders
Connection
Happy/ Performances
Baseball League
Soccer League (UC)
Pride of Union City
Infrastructure
Drive-In Movie Theaters (where Union Landing is)
Interconnection (largest street DECOTO ROAD)
Purple Group
Family
Neighborhood
Community
Togetherness
Welcoming √√√
Searles
Decoto School √√
2 Comunidad
Gente
Movement
OLR √√
The Hills
Bike Riding
Gladiolas √√√
Tightknit Community √√√√
District 45 Little League
James Logan High School √√
Baseball √√√
Family Roots
Masonic Homes
Customs & Traditions
Heroes & Leaders √√
Elder Respect √√
Hardship
Working Class√√
Steel Mills (Workers)
The Train Depot (Union Pacific)
Welcoming
Homegrown √√
Struggle √√
Low Riders √√√
Summer
Nostalgic
Discipline
Goals
Strength √√
Self-Sustaining √√√
Variety Markets
Blue Group
Opportunity √√√
Diversity √√√
Agriculture√√
Community√√
Wildlife√√
Fun√√
Music√√
Neighborly
Sports Activities (baseball)
Trust
Hard-working
Gladiolas
Events
Gatherings
Parades
King and Queen of Decoto
Advocacy
Safety
Urban
Nature
Family
3 Comfort
Familiarity
Carnivals
Fiesta
Latino
Labor
Wetlands
Rivers
Peaceful
Acceptance
Freedom
Summer Camps
Immigrants
Vibrant
Colorful
Green Group
Home
Communal
Friendships
Inclusivity
Family
Welcoming
Pride
Resilience
Solidarity
Culture
Unity
Diversity
Orange Group
Unity
Community
Melting Pot
Peaceful
Rich
Diversity
Hispanic
Pride
Agriculture
Colorful
Rich in Culture
Family
Cultura
Friendly
Good Food
Fun
Churches
Pink Group
Safe
Progress
Family √√
Tumultuous
Community
City
Historic
4 Question 2: What ideas or concepts would you like to see incorporated in the mural reflecting the theme for the murals?
Yellow Group
History Meets Future
Lowrider Culture
Diverse Community
Cultural Textiles (Aztecs, India, medalla, Philippines) Cultural Art
Community Activism
Brown Berets
Original History/ Beginning of Decoto
Strong Family Ties
Large families or treated everyone like family
Didn’t have to come home until the streetlights came on Demographic Changes
Historical Depictions of Immigrant Communities of 19th /20th Centuries (New Haven District, Alvarado, Decoto)
Mexican, Spanish, Puerto Rican, Philippines
Look of the Stores (Main Street – E Street)
Rollies Barber Shop
Cardenas Market (look of stores and name)
The Main (E Street)
Laundry Mat
Mel’s Liquor Store
Dr. Lee’s Office
Fortuna Store
Corner of 9th & E Street building?
Decoto Theater (on E Street) played movies in English and Spanish alternating days
Purple Group
Roots
Deer, Turkeys, Peacocks
Union City used to be Decoto, CA (before it was incorporated) Old History of the Town
- Landmarks - Steeple
- Field of Gladiolas - The Train
- Bikes & Low riders - Farm Land
- Cauliflower, Peaches, Apricots, Tomatoes & Cucumbers.
Farming Community
Former Council members
Ranches of the military
Soccer Fields (Turfs)
- Shorty Garcia
Schools
- Bernard White (2 in one – name) √√ - James Logan High School √√ Tiburcio Vasquez
Dr. Lee’s Office (it was a clinic a several residents were born there) √√ Markets and Bars on Main Street (Mom & Pop Shops) √√
- Mel’s Liquor - F&B Market
- Fernandez Brothers - Economy Market
- Casados Market - Barrios Market
- Cardenas - Tony’s Pool Hall
- La Fortuna Tortilleria - El Porvenir
- Stockman’s Bar - Loma Linda Bar
5 - Leo’s Lounge - Perez & Son’s
Hawaiian, Portuguese, Ohlone
Veteran’s Memorial Monument on 4th St, before it relocated to Kennedy Park √√ UC Opening Day Little League Festival & Parade √√
10th Street Volunteer Firehouse Station
BART
Police Station
Dry Creek was a playground √√
The Meyers Cottage (East Bay Regional) √√
Baby Hill by Dry Creek Apartments – would catch Lizards and Tadpoles √√ La Honorifica (a society)
Ballet Folklorico √√
Masonic Homes √√
Agricultural Community
Socializing at the bar
Centro de Servicios (Social Services) √√√
Bilingual Library (Portable by Logan High)
Teen Workshop – Larry O
Ray Orozco Hardware Store (6th & F Street)
Blue Group
Gladiolas
Latin culture
Latin food
Small businesses
Perseverance
Decoto School
James logan High School
Barnard white
Early industries – sugar mill, canneries, nurseries, steel mill, us pipe Pillars of community – Richard Valle, Jaime Jaramillo, Bert Perez (?), Maria Viscara, Centro de Servicios
Legacy
Family tree – preserve and honor ancestors
Honor and integrity
Help, direction and opportunities for disadvantaged youth Connection / stewardship – land, people, nature, wildlife Creating community
One high school with other cities students attending because of quality Integrity of ancestry
Green Group
Gladiolas √
Railroads and Trains
Sugarmill
Canneries
Intersectionality and Diversity
United Farm Workers
Recycling and Tri-City
Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center
Family
Corn
Low Riders
Masonic Homes
Union City History is Decoto History
Steel mill
6 Industrial City
Port-Alvarado
Culture/Delicious Food in Union City Duck Hunter Club √ Alvarado Festival/Events -Mariachis and Mexican Movies
Drive ins
Memorials at Kennedy Park and Veterans Park
Orange Group
For the murals
Early Settlers
La Honorifica
The Main Stores
- Cardenas - Paleteria
Mexican Folklorico
Dance
Parades
Gladiolas
Mexican Heritage
Military
Chicano / Chicana
Brown Berets
National Impact on Decoto (War)
Native
Farm work
Quinceañeras
Weddings
Our Lady of the Rosary
Community
Honor War Veterans
Steel Mills
Larry Orozco Teen Workshop
Boxing
Baseball
Railroad
Ranchos
Bike shows on Decoto Road
Car Shows (Bay Bombs)
Roosters
Music
Latin Music
Sugar Mill
Transportation
Pepsi
Shasta
Ranches
Low Riders
Car Shows
Bay Bombs
Fiestas
Oldies
Dryers Ice Cream
American Licorice
Transportation – subdivision Flea
Ballet Folklorico
7 Car Shows
James Logan High School – Only High School
Pink Group
Agriculture
Farming
Smokestacks
Industrial
Labor / Working with their hands
Military (those who went to WWII and Vietnam – Decoto neighbors created a WWII monument in Kennedy Park)
Canneries
Railroad (Pacific Rail Road)
Hispanic Heritage
Low Riders
Lots of Flowers / Kitayama Nursery
Carrot Factory
Orchards
Cabbage Fields
Dairy Farm
Chappel of the Chimes Cemetary (original Decoto Family’s names are there) Gladiola Fields
Masonic Home
Diversity
Hills
The Flea
Neighborhood Gatherings (4th of July Fireworks, UC 40th) Meyer Sisters
Logan High School
1st 7-11 @ Logan
Our Lady of the Rosary Church
Question 3: What emotions or feelings should the artwork in Decoto community/ Kennedy Park reflect or inspire?
Yellow Group
Sports (had potential athletes – pride) / Boxing, Baseball, Basketball, Decoto Boys Club, CYO/OLR – played other schools and churches
Inspiring
Happy
Community Pride
Hope
Resilience
United Supportive
(No build on the hill) – came together and made it happen – mission hills Family Oriented
Purple Group
Pride
Life
Encouragement
Enlightening
Strength
Educate
Reality – Good/Bad (Duality)
Loyalty (Loyal to the Soil)
Chicano Roots (Diverse in Colors)
8 Music
- Trino Ramirez
- Gilbert, Jesse, and Irene Roblero
- Angelina Camarillo
- Grupo Vicio
- Grupo Roblero
Seven Hills
Sports (Athletes) – Little League World Series
Logan Band
Teamwork
Dedication
Camaraderie
Strong Friendships
Nick Names
Blue Group
Love √√√
Community √√
Passion
Reverence
Hope
Legacy
Nostalgia
Connection
Resilience
Strength
Endurance
Perseverance
Acceptance
Peace
Safety
Belonging
Green Group
Inspiring
Strength
Pride
History
Peace
Sense of Coming Home
Unity √
Diversity
Connection
To feel the stories when you go back and see the murals Variety in Culture, Mixture of all cultures, and different culture intermix √ Hope
Acceptance
Allyship – Ally/Solidarity/Understanding each other through different issues Evolution
Orange Group
Pride
History
Struggle
Unity
Overcoming
Happiness
Fascinating
9 Nostalgic
Potential
Touched
Walking down memory lane
The “Wow” effect
Humanity
Connection
Multi-generational
Heart warming
Relatable
Strong
Feeling seen
Feeling your story is represented
Inclusion
Resilience
Remembering
Dreamers
Hope
Home
Friends / Family
Familia
Pink Group
Diversity
Pride
People United & Strong/Strength
Sense of Community
Small Town – like
Caring Love
Youth Sports
Proud of living in Decoto because we have a good high school. Lots of parents in Fremont envy our “shining” school building and school facilities.
Logan High (Football and Forensics)
Question 4: What positive message should the murals share about the community? Yellow Group
Welcome
Care of parks, greenery, trees etc.
Together we can overcome anything
Adaptable
Preserve Indigenous grounds
How beautiful our city is
Value Education
Colorful
Togetherness
Schools
Logan High School Colts
Band/ Color Guard
Happy
Purple Group
Dirt roads, no fences (Open Community)
90% Latino Community
Hard working community √√
Spirit of “Si Se Puede”
Arms holding different tools
10 Community Feeling
Peace Sign
Indigenous People
If you are useful, this place is for you.
Factories & Canneries
- Carrot Factory
- Sugar Factory
Conveyor belts were used at jungle gyms for the community youth Grid pattern of the neighborhoods (15th Street) √√√
Street Structure in the Decoto Neighborhood
Old Community
Stray dogs chasing bikes
Bikes with spokes
Kick the can
“Gente de la Tierra”
Rich in Culture – Did not grow up thinking they were poor Power Lines – Tennis shoes in the lines
Blue Group
Persevering
Accepting
Welcoming
Open-armed
Celebrating
Festive
Growing
Migrant community
Awe!
Vibrant
Fun
Joyful
UC providing for us and nation (American Licorice, Blommer’s chocolate) Conservation
Geese around city hall
Local industries
Honoring land wildlife
Evolving
Car shows and low riders
Symbiosis
Discovery
Sharing
Interests
Surprises
Youth sports (cyo basketball, uc national little league, softball) Strength in community
Caring for your neighbors
Wildflowers
Appreciating nature
Green Group
Everyone is Welcome
Diverse but United
We’re still here √
Good place for a family √√
City you can place roots in
Not a city you pass through
11 Generational Prosperity
Cultural Roots
Place where kids grow up and want to come back to live
Quiet Opportunity- Local Artists, Musicians, Athletes, Homegrown professionals Highlight James Logan High School, the only high school in Union City √√ Orange Group
Compassion
Never Give Up
“Si Se Puede”
Just as American as everyone else
We are American
Prideful
All American
Non-Judgmental
Represent community in different ways
Everybody knows everybody
Inclusion
Success
Camaraderie
Help each other
Decoto is Family
Ambition
Have each other’s back
Education / Educated
Hard Working
Graduating
Pink Group
Happy Families
Progress – Transportation / BART to UC
Unity
Words of inclusiveness of all the cultures that were present in the Decoto community
Interconnected community
Baceros
Familia
Blessings (in Spanish)
Diversity
Question 5: Anything we should consider: post-it notes or write on – as a closing to the breakout.
Yellow Group
Religious (various) Interfaith
Faith Based
Receive input from the youth
Historical Buildings from 4 Districts (1,2, 3, 4)
Centro de Services
Las Palmas (hotels)
Loma Lina (a bar)
Dry Creek (resort)
Ships
Union Landing
Sugar Mill
Steel Mill
Railroad (decoto)
Lumber Mill
12 Carrot factory
Licorice factory
Dryer’s Ice Cream
Cactus Garden
Myer’s Sisters
Name on Tree in Mission Hills
Masonic Home (house of orphans and widows)
Buddhist Church
Big Families migrated to Farm – work, life etc.
Purple Group
Role models / Heroes
Sustain Heroes (a yearbook to represent them /mini bio) Establish who they are with a description
Manuel Silva – United States Army Tail Gunner
- Did 25 missions in enemy territory
- Re-enlist and completed 38 missions in total
- President of Union City National Little League
- Only Son - Went Blind
Baso Mendoza (Peter Mendoza’s Brother – Logan field named after him) - National Little League President
Make a video series about UC Heroes and Role Models.
“BART is here to connect you to the city” (and not the other way around) Greatness of the Community
Overcame the freeway proposal for 10th street. It would have demolished several homes and the integrity of the city.
Activism (overcoming struggle)
Riots (Chicanos vs. Police) Death of Chief Cann at OLR
Fighting to defend the people
Strong / Protect
Injustice
Sister was shot & kills by UCPD
Removal of neighborhood stores
Support local mom & pop stores
Supported non-chain stores
Escutia’s Mechanic
Blue Group
Abor
Reminiscence
Tenacity
Nurseries
Veterans memorial
Diego Rivera art
Union City drive in
Sugar beet mill
Honoring veterans
Small businesses – mexican movie theater, soda shop, gas station, markets Honoring Alvarado and Decoto before they combined
Our past
What does the land remember?
Gentrification
Being priced out
Steel
Importance of honoring past
Vibrant Colors √
13 Green Group
Young and Energetic
Local Artists √√
Seeing the Bid of Artist being open to the public
The idea of we as a community are a familiy, ex. Knowing the small business owners of UC
Ohlone Indians √√
Decoto – Chicano Community, Low Riders, Festivals, United Farm Workers Honoring History of the past but also highlighting the new and the youth Representing Kitayama with flowers like roses and carnations Gladiolas, Flowers, Roses √√
Masonic Homes
Highlight immigrant influence on the community √√
Orange Group
Local artist to be involved
Each pillar should have a mural, not just a picture
One artist, one pillar
On the same pillar, one side culture, the other side Decoto.
Including all cultures
Everyone is represented
Race culture of Ohlone and Chabot
Indigenous / Aztec
Preserve the story of Decoto
Brown Berets
Pink Group
On “Main” (E Street) full of bars, churches, Dr. Lee’s clinic, pool hall Businesses
Everything was available in Decoto
Different generational stories (older and younger)
Fremont – California Nursery that has history placards through the park and community gardens that lists historic family names and stories