

©mkrappitz CC BY-SA 2.0. <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.fr>via Wikipedia Commons
The beautiful facade covered with the New World Tree hides the Mission Pool, an outdoor swimming pool. It has been a gathering place since the 1930s when it was still called the Nickel Pool due to its entrance fee of a nickel, which is 5 cents. The mural covering it today dates back to the 1980s and was created by activist artists Juana Alicia, Susan Cervantes, and Raul Martinez. This New World Tree is a traditional Mexican tree of life full of birds and animals, depicting Adam and Eve and their children. In the center, radiating throughout the space, you can observe the jade eye of the Aztec rain god Tlaloc. In the background, the San Francisco Bay is represented with its indigenous inhabitants living in peace and harmony. Juana Alicia emphasizes that they wanted to convey a message of peace with the Aztec symbol of the heart painted on the pool's door. It's an ode to the connection between all people and to water as the source of all life, as well as to the natural beauty of the entire bay area.






