Laney College students, faculty, staff, and community members gathered last week for the unveiling of Unity Through Diversity, a large-scale mural created by students in Art 129 during the Summer 2026 semester.
The event began with a Mayan blessing ceremony, setting a thoughtful tone for a day centered on culture, connection, and the shared work behind the mural.
The ceremony also included remarks from Peralta Community College District Chancellor Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson, who invited each student artist to share what the mural meant to them. As students reflected on their individual contributions, a common thread emerged: while each person brought a unique perspective to the project, together they created a work that celebrates unity, resilience, and the many cultures that make up the Peralta community and the City of Oakland.
Frederick Alvarado & Chancellor Gilkerson
Created under the direction of Laney Art Department faculty member Frederick Alvarado, the mural transformed a blank wall at 501 Fifth Street into a public artwork reflecting Oakland’s history, natural environment, neighborhoods, and communities. The project was the result of weeks of collaborative design and painting by students.
“The class unanimously agreed on the theme ‘Unity Through Diversity,’” Alvarado said. “Our goal was to create a mural that celebrates the many cultures, communities and natural beauty that define Oakland while emphasizing the idea that our differences strengthen us.”
A Design Built Around Unity
Before painting began, students created a detailed scale model using Prismacolor pencils on vellum at a scale of one-half inch to one foot. The planning process allowed the class to combine a wide range of ideas while maintaining one connected composition.
A radiant sun anchors the center of the mural and serves as its main symbol of unity. Around it, students incorporated images representing nature, education, culture, local history, and social justice.
An old oak tree appears on the left side of the mural, its patterned surface representing the many cultures and immigrant communities that contribute to Oakland’s identity. Native species, including the yellow-faced bumblebee and brown leatherwing soldier beetle, highlight the importance of biodiversity within an urban environment.
The mural also includes the mascots of all four Peralta Colleges: the College of Alameda Cougar, Merritt College Black Panther, Laney College Eagle, and Berkeley City College Owl. Each was reinterpreted by students and placed within scenes connected to the East Bay.
The cougar appears alongside local landmarks such as Victorian homes, the Alameda Theatre, and the Fruitvale Railroad Bridge. The Black Panther rests in the oak tree, connecting Merritt College’s mascot to Oakland’s long history of social justice and community organizing.
Education as a Path Forward
Books appear throughout the mural as symbols of education and possibility. On both sides of the composition, book-shaped eyes represent learning as a way of seeing the world and creating new paths toward personal and professional goals.
A stack of books on the blue side of the mural includes academic majors, reinforcing the many routes students can take through college.
The mural also includes a Chinatown crosswalk, recognizing the neighborhood surrounding Laney and the many cultural communities that shape Oakland.
On the right side, a traditional Iranian woman is shown dancing within an altar or ofrenda. She represents the resilience, strength, and grace of women around the world.
Another figure honors Oakland native Chicome Malinalli, also known as Frank Cortes, who founded Calpulli Coatlicue at Hacienda Peralta Historical Park as a child. His work through culture, dance, and Mayan spiritual traditions has helped build community in Fruitvale and across Oakland.
Dedicated to Peralta Students
The completed mural is dedicated to the resilience of students throughout the Peralta Community College District. It also reflects the collaboration required to bring the project to life, from the students who shaped the original concept to the faculty, staff, and departments that supported the work.
The Mayan blessing ceremony at the unveiling gave added meaning to that dedication. It invited those gathered to pause, recognize the history and culture represented in the mural, and celebrate the students who turned a shared idea into a permanent part of the Oakland landscape.
Unity Through Diversity now stands as both a student artwork and a public statement about the community the Peralta Community College District serves. It brings together many stories, identities, and traditions without asking them to become the same.
View photos of the mural’s design, painting process, and unveiling here →