“We are so excited to announce that the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Mural has been voted by the people as the Best of San Antonio in 2026 with The San Antonio Current!
This past semester, students in Prof. Suzy González’s Barrio Arts and Popular Culture service-learning class partnered with the original artists and community organizations to help restore this historic mural.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Mural is a historic public artwork gracing the Cassiano Homes, a public housing community in San Antonio. This mural and the hundreds around San Antonio painted by Anastacio “Tache” Torres and Juan Hernandez are a result of the important Chicano Movement efforts in San Antonio, of which OLLU has been an incubator on the Westside. This work commemorates the Treaty and the formation of Mexican-American identity, preserving an important piece of community history and cultural memory. This project was co-sponsored within OLLU by the Visual & New Media Arts Program, the Center for Service-Learning and Volunteerism and the International Folk Culture Center with the Segundo de Febrero Planning Committee.
The students worked alongside the original artists who generously donated their time and expertise to the project and to our students. The project also could not have been successful without the support of Opportunity Home SA and District 5 City Councilwoman Teri Castillo.
We are so thankful for everyone who voted to support this project, especially given that the competition is intense for best mural in a city with so many talented muralists. We think it shows a dedication and belief in the importance of our cultural history. We also hope that it shows the crucial role of public art in our communities and the strength of service-learning and community engagement as a way to bring students and the surround neighborhood together to do amazing things and provide world-class education on the ground and, in this case, in the streets!”
