San Francisco's Mission district, commonly know as The Mission, is a colorful, trendy neighborhood with a lively music and art scene, and many restaurants. Mexican, and later immigrants from other Lain American countries had brought their culture and businesses to the Mission, giving it that special Latin feeling. But with the dot-com-boom came a huge influx of young urban professionals, starting the gentrification process. Mission Street, the main thoroughfare, still maintains a very Latin American flair, but in many side streets it is quite obvious that the less affluent Hispanic population has been pushed out.

A very vintage VW bus rolling down Mission Street

The Mission is know for its street art, especially its murals, which can be found all throughout the Mission on walls and fences. Most famous are the murals at Clarion Alley and Balmy Alley. These murals are not static. They change, always reflecting the latest issues, political (Trump) as well as socioeconomic (gentrification, evictions, ...) or local events (remembering young people who died in fire at the Ghost Ship in Oakland).

The Mexican history of the Mission is alive in festivals like the Cinco de Mayo Festival or the celebration of El Dia de Los Muertos.

For more pictures of this interesting and colorful district in San Francisco check out:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/barbaranusselphotography/photos/albums/san francisco's mission district