A mural becomes a moment
Fueled by gentrification concerns, Union City voted to ensure Decoto’s Latino history is part of proposed BART mural project; FBI whistleblower said Swalwell is a known leaker of classified documents
☕️MORNING BUZZ
—A proposed mural to capture Union City’s history will now focus on the story of the city’s Decoto neighborhood, following a heated exchange at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
The nine-pillar mural, planned near the Union City BART station, was initially described as depicting the area’s past from the time of the Ohlone people through the railroad yards, gladiola fields, and the city’s Latino heritage.
But Councilmember Jaime Patiño, who represents Decoto and has lived there his entire life, said the plan left out a key element: Decoto itself.
“This is another episode in a long line of broken promises,” Patiño said. “I’ve lived here all 56 years of my life. I’ve seen us get the shaft.”
He was later more adamant: “This is going to be about the history of Decoto and nothing else.”
Patiño criticized a city staff report for omitting the Decoto neighborhood, and said a community survey circulated earlier this year was misleading because it never mentioned the area.
He also disputed city staff’s claim that there were no records of a 2019 council retreat discussion that included Decoto in the mural concept. “Don’t tell me I’m imagining what happened in that meeting,” he said.
Mayor Gary Singh sought to tamp down tensions, telling the room, many also in support of Patiño’s aims, “We are not divided here. Don’t divide us. We’re going to get it done.”
Initially, some councilmembers appeared reluctant to alter the work plan, but after Patiño’s remarks, the council voted unanimously to direct staff to ensure Decoto’s history is part of the final design.
Patiño said he pushed for the change now because he had “no faith” that the neighborhood’s story would be added later. “Let’s do the right thing and make it right,” he said.
Decoto’s history: The Decoto area was founded in 1867 when Ezra Decoto sold land to the railroad, which built a stop there. A post office opened in 1871.
By the 1930s, Decoto had become home to many Mexican-American families like Patiño’s, a demographic shift that accelerated with the arrival of bracero workers during World War II.
Decoto has retained a distinct identity within Union City, shaped by its working-class roots and Latino cultural traditions. It’s an identity that many in Union City feel is quickly slipping away due to gentrification.
📺EAST BAY INSIDERS TV
—THE DECOTO DEFENDER—Union City Councilmember Jaime Patiño joins East Bay Insiders TV to further discuss the city’s proposed BART mural project and the history of Union City’s Decoto neighborhood.
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