"Oakland Dreams" by Trust Your Struggle Collective. Photo courtesy of Visit Oakland.

Murals have a long history in San Francisco and Oakland where its citizens don’t shy away from putting their activism on full display. Both cities have seen a resurgence of street art as communities make sense of the last few years. We’ve gathered some murals to view, all within a short walk of a BART station, that speak to the tenor of today’s social and political climate and demonstrate that progress, even when slow or stymied, can be beautiful.

San Francisco

“Never Alone” mural by Serge Gay Jr. Photo courtesy of Maitri.

The Maitri Mural | Civic Center/UN Plaza

Maitri, which provides residential care for people in hospice and a place of respite for those caring for others, recently commissioned artist Serge Gay Jr. to create a mural depicting the impact that HIV/AIDS has had on the Duboce Triangle and Castro community. The artist’s rendition speaks to a community that has a long history of caring for and looking after each other. Take BART to Civic Center/UN Plaza and walk 22 minutes to 401 Duboce Ave.

"Closer: 6 feet apart" exhibit. Photo courtesy of African American Art & Culture Complex

African American Art & Culture Complex | Civic Center/UN Plaza

This Fillmore District/Western Addition resource and event center hosts private and public events and serves as a canvas for public art. It’s a place for Black creatives to connect and learn and contribute to the organization’s mission. Many theater groups and nonprofits work out of this large space. Check out their social channels, attend an event, and enjoy some of the murals that enhance the area. Take BART to Civic Center/UN Plaza and walk 18 minutes to 762 Fulton St.

60-foot murals on view in the Mission. Photo courtesy of jessicasabogal.com

2060 Folsom | 16th St Mission

In 2021, several female artists completed three large-scale murals on a newly built, fully affordable housing complex. Lead artist, Jessica Sabogal, chose to depict Yolanda López, a local Mexican-American painter who is a mentor. López’s work inspired the other two panels. The art took more than a year to complete. Take BART to 16th St Mission and walk five minutes to 2060 Folsom St.

Cobre’s portrait of Greta Thunberg. Photo courtesy of Broke-Ass Stewart.

Young and Vocal | Powell St

Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg rises high above Union Square on Mason Street and serves as a constant reminder of our planet’s precarious state. Artist Cobre completed this work in 2019. Previously, Cobre was commissioned to create the popular Robin Williams mural on Market St. Take BART to Powell St and walk eight minutes to the 500 block of Mason St.

Women of the Black Panther Party mural. Photo courtesy of The West Oakland Mural Project.

Women of the Black Panther Party | West Oakland

This mural made history as the first mural honoring the women of the Black Panther Party. Artist Rachel Wolfe-Goldsmith, who paints under Wolfpack Mural Arts, was inspired by their legacy of activism and commitment to the movement. According to the home’s owner where the mural was commissioned, their contributions kept the movement moving. Visit the mural and take a tour of the mini-museum inside. Take BART to West Oakland and walk four minutes to 831 Center St.

One of "99 Dragons" by Dragon School. Photo courtesy of Visit Oakland.

Chinatown’s Webster Street | 12th St/Oakland City Center

Within a few blocks of Oakland’s Chinatown, along Webster St. between 8th and 12th, you’ll find an assortment of murals depicting Chinese-American modern-day activism embedded within traditional Chinese cultural symbolism. The murals within these several blocks are always evolving. Search the Oakland Murals website for murals in this neighborhood. Take BART to 12th St/Oakland City Center and walk seven minutes to Webster and 9th St.

"AscenDANCE" mural. Photo courtesy of Gene from Oakland Wiki.

AscenDANCE | 12th St/Oakland City Center

An ode to the original "Universal Language" mural that was visibly covered by a new building (the topic of a new documentary, “Alice Street”) AscenDANCE can be described as a love letter to Oakland’s universal multiculturalism painted on the side of The Greenlining Institute. Take BART to 12th St/Oakland City Center and walk six minutes to 360 14th St.

"Justice for My Ancestors" at Kapor Center. Photo courtesy of BAMP.  

Oakland Mural Tour | 19th St/Oakland

The Bay Area Mural Project (BAMP) works hard to create a platform for artists to create public art and for the public to view art in all spaces. The non-profit was behind the large-scale mural of Steph Curry reading to children. They offer a tour of downtown Oakland murals with historical context. Register for the upcoming tour here. Take BART to 19th St/Oakland and walk eight minutes to 2335 Broadway.