Ibn Edwards started with the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) 20 years ago. He began as a service worker, maintaining stations and vehicles. Today, he’s a service manager — and now, an artist for the agency.
He said being chosen to design a PRONTO card during Black History Month, 50 years after being federally recognized, is especially meaningful after working behind the scenes for so long.
The moment is even more powerful because of the place and history behind it.
“We are in front of my dad's art at 62nd (Street), in the same neighborhood that I grew up in,” said Ibn. “It's like a full-circle moment for me.”
Ibn’s father is Eddie Edwards, a prominent artist and a cultural pioneer in Encanto. Eddie came to San Diego from Louisiana in the 1950s to expand his art career. Nearly 20 years later, he opened Encanto’s first Black Cultural Center.
Ibn says his father’s art and mission centered on uplifting the community.
“It was all about portraying a reflection of yourself, a reflection of greatness,” Ibn explained. “He was always talking about ‘If you're going to be something, be inspiring. Be the best at what you're going to be — just strive for greatness.’”
His father’s art became part of San Diego’s art revitalization efforts that began in the 1980s. Eddie designed 24 panels depicting scenes from Encanto's history and culture. They were recently restored in 2023, appearing on light posts along 62nd to 69th St., each incorporating a rainbow. That sense of connection was very important to his father.
“He was all about inclusion, not exclusion, bringing everyone together,” Ibn said. “The rainbow signifies that togetherness of community.”
Ibn wanted that same feeling to shine through in his PRONTO card design. A PRONTO card is a reloadable fare pass used on MTS buses and trolleys. On the small 2-by-3-inch canvas, colorful portraits of historical figures like Rosa Parks, Jimi Hendrix and Martin Luther King Jr., along with Ibn’s dad, represent the duality of Black history.
“When you look at this card, I wanted to incite the imagination, like, who are these people? What is this all about?” Ibn said. “My daughter said it best, ‘This looks like the Avengers right here,’ and this is just a fraction of the Black Avengers that's contributed to the community.”
MTS selected Ibn as part of its Commemorative Card Program, which began in 2023. Previous artists include Mr. B Baby and Koy Sun, who were chosen for other heritage months.
In a press release, MTS Board Chair Monica Montgomery Steppe said the program honors the stories of diverse communities that make up the wider San Diego region through a physical memento they can carry with them.
MTS has incorporated public art projects into the transit system since the 1980s. When Ibn joined the agency, he hoped to become an artist, not just a facilitator.
“I was like, man, I hope they give me the opportunity to do this, because prepping these murals and seeing these wonderful artists do their thing, I had to sit back and just watch,” Ibn said. “I'm so glad that management gave me the opportunity, especially to represent my father on such a platform.”
As an MTS employee, Ibn sees firsthand how public transportation connects communities.
“You have access to hospitals, you have access to education. We hit all of the major universities in San Diego. That is the importance of public transportation, not just for the Black community but for all communities together,” Ibn said. “That's something that leadership has done ... bring art back into the community and have a reflection of greatness within our community.”
Without the foundation planted by Encanto, Ibn feels he wouldn’t be where he is today.
“This community is thriving with nutrients and wealth and good people, and the land is full of possibilities,” Ibn said.
The limited-edition PRONTO card is available, while supplies last, at select transit stops. A list of locations is at sdmts.com.
