If you’ve taken the trolley, strolled through Barrio Logan, or grabbed a coffee in the South Bay, chances are you’ve seen her murals. Now, thanks to the Metropolitan Transit System, you can carry her art in pocket-sized form wherever you go.
San Diego-based artist Michelle Guerrero, known as Mr B Baby, has partnered with MTS for Hispanic Heritage Month to design its Pronto card.
“We had already worked with her previously, so it was a very easy fit,” said Hector Zermeño, spokesperson with MTS. “We thought she was a very good representation of what Hispanic culture is all about here in San Diego.”
The Pronto card showcases Chucho, her piñata character who lives in a world where piñatas are destined to break. Unlike the rest, Chucho grows stronger through his cracks, embodying resilience.
“Right now, with everything happening, it was important to send that message. I wanted to tell the tale of resiliency and celebrate how beautiful our culture is. I grew up going to fiestas and breaking piñatas, and it’s been so nostalgic. I wanted to tell that narrative through the art,” Guerrero explains.
At a pop-up event hosted by MTS on Wednesday, Guerrero was in attendance to give out her Pronto cards—and San Diegans lined up to get one.
“I feel it represents the community, it’s friendly and really colorful and vibrant,” said Randall Zarchoza, a fan of Mr B Baby’s art. “It feels really nice to see your culture illustrated in a beautiful way.”
Guerrero has been a professional mural artist for 9 years. The Chula Vista native says her art is deeply rooted in culture, drawing inspiration not only from her heritage but also from the books she loved as a child. Through her work, she seeks to create a world of her own.
“I’ve built a world of characters that tell the story of mental health, healing and culture,” she said.
Guerrero has murals all over San Diego, and chances are you’ve probably already seen them. You can spot her murals in Barrio Logan, Chula Vista, National City and Escondido. Guerrero, in partnership with MTS, has also finished another mural in San Ysidro near Beyer Boulevard.
“[The mural] is a story of two lovers. It’s a cross-cultural love story,” she said.
The mural stretches across two walls — Maria appears on one side, while a male character is painted on the other. Though divided, the two figures face each other, symbolizing connection across borders. The male character stands beside a border and has a Tijuana skyline, while Maria is framed by the San Diego skyline.
A bridge links the two walls, where you can see them meet and fall in love on the cliff sides, where they eventually fly off on top of a butterfly.
The mural is personal as it depicts how her parents met and fell in love.
“It’s very special to me as I feel it’s a story that a lot of people share. But it means a lot to me because my parents met in San Ysidro,” she says.
Guerrero has been invited to paint murals all over the country and the world, including Los Angeles, Kansas City, Thailand, Colombia and Mexico.
I don’t think it has ever hit me to see my art all over. Someone who was born in Chula Vista and raised by a single mom, and to see it has taken me all over the world. I never would have ever imagined.
Michelle Guerrero, muralist
The limited-edition Pronto cards are available, while supplies last, at the following locations for $2 each:
- San Ysidro – Ticket machine on south side of platform, closest to Port of Entry (Low stock)
- Palomar Street – Ticket machine on platform to San Ysidro
- H Street – Ticket machine on platform to Downtown
- 8th Street – Ticket machine on platform to San Ysidro
- Barrio Logan – Ticket machine on platform to San Ysidro, facing north
- Balboa Avenue – Ticket machine on platform to UTC, north end of platform
- Euclid Avenue – Ticket machine on platform to Downtown
- El Cajon – Ticket matching on Green Line platform to Downtown
- MTS will be giving away a limited number of Hispanic Heritage cards at the Old Town Dia de los Muertos event on November 1st and 2nd.
MTS also teamed up with local artist Koy Sun to design an AAPI Heritage Month Pronto card. MTS says they are planning on partnering with another local artist to design another Pronto card for Black History Month.
Hispanic Heritage Month
Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.
