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Carmen Letona-Adams, a Redwood City native and local librarian, has always felt a sense of familiarity when crossing the Fifth Avenue underpass into North Fair Oaks. For Letona-Adams, the route became synonymous with family trips to buy pan dulce at Chavez Supermarket and volunteering at St. Anthony's Church during her teenage years. The route, for her, is a gateway to the sights and sounds of a culturally familiar community separated from Redwood City by Caltrain tracks.
"Going through the underpass and entering North Fair Oaks, it just felt different," said Letona-Adams. "I would always have a really warm feeling driving through the underpass, knowing I was in North Fair Oaks."
The Healthy Community Mural Project, an initiative by the Colectivo Cultural de North Fair Oaks, aims to reflect that feeling in the walls of the Fifth Avenue underpass and showcase the vibrant community it leads to.
In just a few months, several indented concrete panels on the underpass will be adorned with "vignettes" representing the unincorporated San Mateo County community of North Fair Oaks. The project, a culmination of extensive community planning, came together following two meetings and a community survey to find the muralist and the underpass’s content.
Three muralists pitched their vision for the project to the local community, the Colectivo Cultural de North Fair Oaks and the North Fair Oaks Community Council who recommended a candidate to San Mateo County. Ultimately, Emily Fromm was selected to paint the mural.
Fromm, a San Mateo County resident and experienced muralist, is known for painting detailed, thoughtful city-scapes that highlight the diversity of communities. Her paintings have been in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York, Montréal and London.
Larra Olson, a North Fair Oaks resident who volunteers with the Colectivo Cultural de North Fair Oaks, was impressed by Fromm's proposal to collaborate with community members while spearheading the mural's creation. Fromm's approach involves inviting community members to participate in the painting process, reminiscent of a paint-by-numbers method. She outlines the art, and community members help fill it with color.
"One of the reasons I remember really appreciating [Fromm] is that during her presentation, she spoke about how she planned to incorporate the community to help paint it," said Olson. "We needed somebody that's not only a great artist, but someone who has the experience to have people be involved."
Before picking up the paintbrushes, Fromm took steps to familiarize herself with the community. She documented the signs, architecture and colors of North Fair Oaks through photographs and engaged in conversations with several residents. She spoke with members of El Concilio of San Mateo County, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing education, employment and access to quality of life services for the county's underserved communities. Fromm also visited the local library to gain a deeper understanding of North Fair Oaks— present and past. She noted that her work often highlights signs and how humans construct their environments to include written communication and hopes the murals will promote literacy in the community.
"North Fair Oaks is known for its vibrant hand-made signs and colors, which is a big part of why I was so inspired by this landscape. I use traditional sign painting techniques in my painting process, and also constantly recreate iconic and noteworthy signs in my artwork. Though I am not bilingual myself, I am creating this mural with the help of translators from the San Mateo County Manager’s Office of Community Affairs to be written in both Spanish and English, in hopes that viewers will read and learn phrases in both languages through the artwork," Fromm said.
Approximately 71% of people who live in North Fair Oaks are Hispanic or Latino, according to the July 2022 United States Census.
According to Letona-Adams, many of its earliest settlers migrated to the United States from Aguilillan, Mexico. Over time, many Spanish-speaking people from Central America settled in North Fair Oaks. Today, it is among the communities in San Mateo County with the largest number of Spanish-speaking people than any other area in San Mateo County, according to librarian Letona-Adams.
"Taking steps to learn about the rich history of North Fair Oaks was a priority," Fromm said. "I want to show the voices of a vibrant, diverse community that wishes to celebrate and preserve its local history, while also ushering in a bright, new future."
Murals in progress
The murals are currently underway, with five of the "vignettes" completed by Fromm and community members. Fromm said she is excited for locals to not only see the completed murals, but for them to have the memory of being an active part of creating the murals.
"Working with the community on the mural is a big part of how I am getting to know the neighborhood, meeting longtime residents and their families who are kind enough to volunteer their time to paint with me. Hearing their thoughts and hopes for the neighborhood, and listening to their stories, informs my process as I go," said Fromm.
One vignette, titled "Advocate for housing and equitable labor practices," shows people outside of Peña Meat and Food Market and the El Concilio de San Mateo County building— a place where locals can go for resources on housing and equitable labor practices.
Another titled "Encourage walking, biking and public transportation," shows people biking and using the bus outside of Connoisseur Coffee Co.
"Cultivate creativity and enjoy the arts" shows community members at Casa Circulo Cultural, a nonprofit organization that hosts community events centered around the arts.
"Celebrate family" shows families outside of local businesses, including Kelcy's Hair Salon, Michoacan Produce Market, La Casita Chilanga Torteria and El Grullense.
"Love to learn," shows the nearby Garfield School, which many students commute to through the 5th Avenue underpass.
The remaining murals will encompass themes such as respecting the environment, building safe communities, promoting youth participation, recognizing the importance of mental health and more.
San Mateo County District 4 Supervisor Warren Slocum, who oversees North Fair Oaks, said beautifying the area surrounding the Fifth Avenue underpass is not a new endeavor. Last year, San Mateo County funded new sprinklers and native plants in the area.
"The mural project will benefit the community like other public art we've done, especially in North Fair Oaks. The mural on the side of the building adjacent to the County [building] parking lot has become an icon of the neighborhood and Middlefield Road," said Slocum. "A lot of people take pictures of the mural and stop and enjoy it."
The price tag of the project is $60,000 in total, and funding for the project comes from San Mateo County using Measure K funds.
Community members are encouraged to help paint the mural on various dates until its tentative completion in August. Anyone can sign up using this form. Fromm and a team of artists will guide volunteers through the process— no painting experience is necessary, and all materials will be provided.
"Even as the neighborhood of North Fair Oaks changes over time, my hope is that the mural will serve as a place of remembrance and celebration for the neighborhood, that people can return to for generations,” Fromm said.
