SAN ANTONIO – A 13-year-old Judson Independent School District student has won this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. youth art contest.
Angelina Paez, a student at Kirby Middle School, was named the winner by the City Council District 2 office, the MLK Commission and the San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture on Wednesday.
The artwork is a collage comprised of newspaper pieces and depicts clasped hands in front of the Tower of Americas. The theme of this year’s march is “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.”
Angelina Paez, a 13-year-old student at Kirby Middle School in the Judson Independent School District, won the contest with an art piece featuring a collage comprised of newspaper pieces that depicts clasped hands in front of the Tower of Americas. (City of San Antonio Arts & Culture Department)
Paez’s artwork will be featured in the 2026 MLK March commemorative materials, according to the release.
“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.
Next year’s MLK March will take place on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, at 10 a.m. at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy, followed by the park celebration at Pittman-Sullivan Park.
“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.
Read more:
Copyright 2025 by KSAT – All rights reserved.