New East Austin mural celebrates César Chávez

Arte Texas – a group that works to preserve and restore East Austin murals as well as create new ones – gave a deteriorating mural on 1204 E. César Chávez St. new life with an updated César Chávez design for future generations.

By Nancy Flores

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March 30, 2023

A new mural depicting civil rights activist César Chávez now welcomes folks to the East Austin street that bears his name.

Artists, elected officials, community members and special guest Alejandro Chávez, grandson of the labor movement leader, gathered last weekend on the corner of César Chávez and Waller Streets to inaugurate the mural with a City of Austin proclamation.

Arte Texas – a group that works to preserve and restore East Austin murals as well as create new ones – gave a deteriorating mural on 1204 E. César Chávez St. new life with an updated César Chávez design for future generations.

Longtime artists Mando “Taner” Martinez, Amado Castillo III, and Mark Anthony Gonzales along with emerging artist Amado L. Castillo IV came together to create the mural, which was honored with its own “César Chávez Mural Day” by the city on March 25.

“Chávez organized movements, famous marches and peaceful demonstrations across the states,” said Bertha Rendon Delgado, founder of Arte Texas, as she read from the proclamation during the outdoor ceremony. “César Chávez taught us to be proud of our identity, taught us to organize and educate and advocate for the oppressed and continue the lucha for our raza.”

Chávez’ grandson, Alejandro, expressed with attendees the importance of sharing our own stories, especially through art. The “Sí Se Puede attitude,” he said, means not giving up and embodying the spirit of community murals. Chávez said that included helping register people to vote, getting involved in local school boards or civic organizations.

“We are the tip of the spear,” he said. “The only way to make that change is to have a Sí Se Puede attitude.”

MORE COVERAGE: AUSTIN HONORS CESAR CHAVEZ LIFE, LEGACY

Author

An award-winning local journalist, Nancy Flores leads Austin Vida as its editor and publisher. She’s the founder of Cultura Media, Austin Vida’s umbrella organization, and was recently named one of “Austin’s Top Latina Entrepreneurs to Watch,” by the digital news outlet Austonia (now called ATXtoday).

Nancy grew up in the border town of Eagle Pass, Texas, and is the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants. She has specialized in writing about underrepresented Central Texas communities, most recently reporting for the Austin American-Statesman and Austin360. Her contributions to Austin’s Latino community recently earned her the Award of Excellence in Media Arts from the city’s Mexican American Cultural Center. In 2019, Remezcla named her among the nation’s “Latino Columnists You Should Be Reading.”

Nancy revived and reimagined Austin Vida during the pandemic to amplify, inform and celebrate the Latinidad of our local community with culturally-competent news and culture that centers the voices of nuestra gente.

A graduate of St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, Nancy received a College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) scholarship, and earned a BA in Communication with a Minor in English Writing.

She’s also an alumna of the Hispanic Austin Leadership Program, the Google News Startup Bootcamp program, the Leadership Academy for Diversity in Digital Media program presented by Poynter and The Washington Post, and was part of the inaugural cohort of the Tiny News Collective, which continues to serve as Austin Vida’s nonprofit fiscal sponsor.

Nancy served on the board of directors for the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and helped relaunch its local Central Texas chapter. She is the founding president of the St. Edward’s University College Assistance Migrant Program Alumni Association.