Angelina Paez, 13, a student at Kirby Middle School, created a collage made of newspaper showing hands joined in unity in front of the iconic Tower of Americas.
SAN ANTONIO — A 13-year-old student in Judson ISD has won this year’s Martin Luther King youth art contest, the City of San Antonio announced.
Angelina Paez is a student at Kirby Middle School. She created a collage made of newspaper showing hands joined in unity in front of San Antonio’s iconic Tower of Americas.
The theme of this year’s contest was “Diversity Unites Us: Love Leads Us & Action Propels Us!”
“My artwork shows that it’s not the differences that define us, but the ability to celebrate and accept those differences,” Paez said. “At the end of the day, we are all just human and deserve the right to be treated equally.”
This winning artwork will be included on 2026 MLK March commemorative material.
“After much excitement and thoughtful discussion, Angelina’s powerful and inspiring artwork received the most votes and was selected as the 2026 MLK Art Contest winner,” said Dr. Doshie Piper, MLK Commission Chairperson.
The City of San Antonio, in partnership with District 2 Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and the MLK Commission want to invite the community to be a part of largest MLK March in the nation on Monday, January 19, 2026 at 10 a.m. at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy, followed by the park celebration at Pittman-Sullivan Park.
There will be multicultural performances, youth activities, food and merchandise vendors and information booths.
“San Antonio has a proud legacy of unwavering support for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s message of unifying action. Not only do we celebrate our communal achievements, but we remain steadfast in our duty to spark necessary change,” said District 2 Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez. “The youth art contest exemplifies that our community is stronger for looking to our young people – and empowering them to lead.”
Learn more at the City’s website.