Golden State Today

A five-building UC Berkeley apartment complex in Albany designed for graduate students will be named xučyun ruwway (HOOCH-yoon ROO-why), in honor of the Ohlone people. This marks the first time Berkeley has given a name in any Indigenous language to a campus building or consulted with an Indigenous group for naming.

Charlene Nijmeh, chairwoman of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, expressed that the consultation and naming of the apartment complex symbolize an important step towards reconciliation between UC Berkeley and the Ohlone people, stating, "Berkeley's consultation with Ohlone people to name the apartment complex feels like part of an earnest reconciliation with UC Berkeley and the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe."

The new housing complex, xučyun ruwway, is set to open in August 2024 and will provide accommodation for 761 single graduate students. Lisa Alvarez-Cohen, Berkeley's vice provost for academic planning, highlighted the significance of the new housing option, stating, "We’re thrilled that our highly-valued graduate student population will soon have a new housing option with this project, and that the name will honor the history of the site."

Vincent Medina, co-founder of the 'ottoy initiative, emphasized the importance of cultural respect and representation, stating, "To see our culture respected outside our homes and led by us, to see our living identity, our language represented on our terms — this is positive change happening, and it gives us a lot of hope for what’s possible in the future."

Louis Trevino, an Ohlone cultural leader, acknowledged the symbolic significance of naming the building, recognizing it as a step towards a brighter future. Trevino stated, "Naming a building is not going to remedy the harm the university has done against our people, but it’s a step toward something brighter in the future."

The new housing complex, xučyun ruwway, not only provides accommodation for graduate students but also serves as a celebration of the historical land and people of the East Bay Ohlone. The naming of the complex reflects a collaborative effort between UC Berkeley and the local Indigenous community, setting a precedent for honoring Indigenous heritage in campus infrastructure.