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Katie Morrow strikes a pose on the runway during Eva’s Heroes Lights, Camera, Fashion Show and Luncheon in the\u00a0Klesse Ballroom at St. Matthew Catholic Church on July 24.<\/p>\n
LEP\/Photo courtesy of Lauren Elizabeth Photography<\/p>\n
Elizabeth Longoria poses on the runway during Eva’s Heroes Lights, Camera, Fashion Show and Luncheon\u00a0on July 24.<\/p>\n
LEP\/Photo courtesy of Lauren Elizabeth Photography<\/p>\n
Michael\u00a0Quintanilla hosts Eva’s Heroes Lights, Camera, Fashion Show and Luncheon on July 24.<\/p>\n
LEP\/Photo courtesy of Lauren Elizabeth Photography<\/p>\n
Julian Ramirez strikes a pose on the runway during Eva’s Heroes Lights, Camera, Fashion Show and Luncheon on July 24.<\/p>\n
LEP\/Photo courtesy of Lauren Elizabeth Photography<\/p>\n
The Lights, Camera, Fashion Show concludes with the 31 models taking a final bow.\u00a0<\/p>\n
LEP\/Photo courtesy of Lauren Elizabeth Photography<\/p>\n
Loudspeakers blared thumping beats as the 31 models hit the catwalk, their shoulders back and heads held high. One by one, they strutted the spot-lit runway, which was lined by family and friends, then posed behind clusters of blue and pink balloons.<\/p>\n
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The models were all clients of Eva\u2019s Heroes, a San Antonio nonprofit that offers enrichment programs for people with intellectual special needs.<\/p>\n
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They were taking part in the nonprofit’s Lights, Camera, Fashion Show and Luncheon fundraising event to celebrate Eva\u2019s Heroes 20th anniversary. The event, sponsored by Gamez Law Firm and held at the\u00a0Marge and Bill Klesse Ballroom at St. Matthew Catholic Church, aimed to raise funds to support free and low-cost monthly enrichment programs for participants.<\/p>\n
Long-time fashion writer Michael\u00a0Quintanilla \u2014 best known as San Antonio\u2019s \u201cMr. Fiesta\u201d \u00a0\u2014 was master of ceremonies for the fashion show. He welcomed the participants as \u201cSupermodels of San Antonio,\u201d introducing each model by name as they showed off the fashion wear they\u2019d selected.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWow, I love that, you go girl!\u201d shouted\u00a0Quintanilla, clad in a white suit with blue and purple speckles. \u201cThat\u2019s awesome, good job, brother!\u201d<\/p>\n
Quintanilla praised Eva\u2019s Heroes for “20 years of growing, sharing and loving our city\u2019s community of individuals with intellectual special needs, who have proved repeatedly that their challenges are overcome with courage and often with help from each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
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‘Better and better each year’<\/p>\n
Eva\u2019s Heroes was founded in 2006 by actress Eva Longoria-Bast\u00f3n and board president Christiane Garcia. The organization offers opportunities for participants to interact, learn and grow through inclusive enrichment and social programs.<\/p>\n
The nonprofit has been putting on the fashion show for six years.\u00a0Garcia said the participants learn life skills, such as staying within a budget when they picked outfits for the show.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt gets better and better each year,\u201d Garcia said. \u201cOur heroes are outstanding. Many of these families never thought it possible to have their son or daughter walking on the catwalk \u2014 to show their personalities, the potential and confidence they have if only given the opportunity that\u2019s what we like to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Garcia recognized the Gordon Hartman family for their impact in the special needs community.\u00a0 In 2010, Hartman founded Morgan\u2019s Wonderland, an accessible and fully-inclusive theme park created to be enjoyed by individuals with special needs and all visitors.<\/p>\n
“The Hartman family reminds us that real change happens when we choose to see possibilities instead of limitations,” Garcia said, “and where we use our voices and actions too make a difference.”<\/p>\n
She said the models not only displayed their talents, but also helped create the show as producers and DJs with help from volunteers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Quintanilla\u00a0led the show\u2019s participants in a five-day fashion boot camp. They learned to apply make-up and skin care products, as well as hair styling and sculpting from students at the Milan Institute. They studied modeling moves with\u00a0Lari Nelson’s\u00a0The Agency. They picked up tips about accessorizing, shopping and wardrobe building from the team at Dillard\u2019s North Star Mall. And they practiced record spinning skills taught by the AM Project.<\/p>\n
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\u2018It’s that camaraderie’<\/p>\n
During the show, Katie Morrow strutted on the catwalk with cool confidence, hitting her marks just as she\u2019d practiced. As Eva\u2019s Heroes 2025 ambassador, Morrow shared the nonprofit\u2019s mission through community visits, TV interviews and corporate presentations. Before the show began, Morrow said she expected to shed tears of joy when she handed the red ambassador sash to 2026 ambassador Jordan Cash.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want someone else to have the experience, too,\u201d Morrow said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The fashion show ended with the audience cheering the models and DJs gathered on the raised platform for their final bow.\u00a0Cassandra Colon said it was a proud moment when she saw her son\u00a0DeMarquez Colon on the runway.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\u201cHe just lights up,\u201d she said. \u201cHe loves this type of atmosphere. It\u2019s amazing, because normally with autism the extra sounds discombobulate him, but he loves it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Colon said she, her husband and\u00a0DeMarquez\u2019s three siblings ensure her son is the center of their world. She said DeMarquez, a 17-year Eva\u2019s Heroes participant, loves dancing and the independence he experiences with his peers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s that camaraderie that they have,\u201d Colon said. \u201cBecause ordinarily they wouldn\u2019t be able to have these types of things.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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