SEGUIN, Texas (July 7, 2025)—Seguin ISD will be the first home for “Our Town Seguin”, a new art exhibit that focuses on Seguin’s past, as seen through the eyes of its communities of color.

The exhibit coming to Seguin ISD’s Administration Building is the result of a National Endowment for the Arts grant, made possible by a collaboration between Teatro De Artes De Juan Seguin, the City of Seguin, the Seguin Public Library, and Seguin Main Street. The grant secured through their partnership is one of three in Texas and just 57 nationwide.

"The unification of these three profoundly significant art installations has been over two years in the making, and I am overjoyed to witness this vision come to life,” Dr. Yvonne De La Rosa, executive director of Teatro De Artes De Juan Seguin, said. “When I sat down to write the grant alongside my mother, the late Vickie De La Rosa, we dreamed of these works being brought into the very school district where we both taught, served, and held deep affection. As lifelong educators and devoted community members, we understood the transformative power of young people seeing, learning, and connecting with their collective histories through art."

Artists representing the Native American/Indigenous, African American, and Mexican American/Tejano communities were selected to create the installations based on the stories of Seguin residents. Members of each community were invited to share their family’s history in Seguin through community pláticas and interviews; the stories shared will be archived at the Seguin Public Library.

The exhibit will feature three installations: “La Tierra Habla: A Celebration of Mexican American Art, Life, and Enduring Spirit” by Debora Kuetzpal Vasquez, “Roots of Resilience: The African American Experience in Seguin through Art and Legacy” by Howard Crunk, and “Echoes of Tradition: Unveiling Indigenous Voice and Visions Tripico of Light” by Ruben Esquivel. All three installations are reflective of Seguin’s people and history as seen through the eyes of the Mexican American/Tejano, African American, and Native American/Indigenous communities. By giving the exhibit a temporary home in Seguin ISD, students, staff, and the community will have access to artwork inspired by the culture and history of their families, neighbors, and ancestors. Classes will be invited to visit the installations and hear about the stories that inspired them from Dr. De La Rosa.

“Seguin ISD is honored to host this important exhibit,” Elizabeth Banks, Seguin ISD interim superintendent, said. “Our students learn about U.S. and Texas history, but this will be an exciting opportunity for them to learn about the history of their town and the people who built it into the Seguin we know today.”

 Teatro De Artes De Juan Seguin will host a ribbon cutting for the installation at Seguin ISD’s Administration Building on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at noon. The public is invited to visit “Our Town Seguin” inside the Administration Building’s main corridor from July 30 to November 30, 2025.