This mural honors the Nacotchtank (Anacostans) and Piscataway Peoples, original stewards of the Anacostia and Potomac rivers. At its center, a stylized Nacotchtank woman emerges from the riverbanks, her upward gaze embodying continuity, reverence, and renewal, surrounded by imagery that bridges past and present. Modern symbols—the American Shad, DC’s state fish, and the Wood Thrush, DC’s state bird—offer movement in the skies and waterways, while the Paw Paw blossom, a regional tree with custard-like fruit, anchors the mural to land. The figure’s fox fur pelt recalls the Nacotchtank as a “town of traders,” and the “three sisters” crops highlight their agriculture, with the Paw Paw leaves also referencing Roosevelt Island, the last place the Nacotchtank are recorded as having taken refuge.
Truth and acknowledgment are vital to building respect across heritage and difference. This mural is created in that spirit—honoring their legacy, acknowledging the histories of displacement and violence, and remembering the resilience of all who came before us. We invite you to pause and reflect on the many legacies that connect us across time and community.