New Utility Box Wrap Honors Local Indigenous People

Miwok

In 2023, as part of the yearlong recognition of 175+ years of Lafayette’s history, the City Council appointed a task force to lead the community journey in considering how Lafayette could acknowledge and appreciate the indigenous people who were first on the land that is now Lafayette. The task force prepared a land acknowledgment statement and recommended additional ways to honor those who came before us.

As part of the utility box art project celebrating Lafayette's history, a new wrap recognizing indigenous people was unveiled on April 8. The wrap, located at the corner of Mt Diablo Blvd and Lafayette Circle, pays tribute to the Bay Miwok people and features the City's land acknowledgment adopted by City Council in October. In the image above, Vice Mayor Kwok and City Council Members McCormick and Anduri unveil the new wrap.

A new street sign at Mt. Diablo Blvd. and Lafayette Circle, incorporating both "Mt. Diablo Blvd." and "Tuyshtak" (the name of the mountain in the Ohlone language, meaning "dawn of time"), was also unveiled as part of this recognition.

Press

CBS News: City of Lafayette Officially Adopts Land Acknowledgment

Lafayette to Recognize Indigenous People With Land Acknowledgment Statement and Bilingual Street Sign

Lafayette Pays Homage to Indigenous People with Downtown Public Art, Signage Unveiling

Self-Guided Walking Tour

Check out the self-guided walking tour of the Utility Box Art project! Pick up a map for a self-guided walking tour in the lobby of the library, located at 3491 Mt Diablo Blvd, Lafayette, CA 94549, or click Utility Box Art Walking Tour to download.