Austin Public Library and Library Foundation presented the permanent art installation “Legends Mosaics: Austin’s Courageous Female Leaders of Color” outside the Austin Central Public Library. Six commemorative mosaic portraits honor important women in the city’s history – Dr. Martha Cotera,
Dr. Teresa Lozano Long, Dr. Bertha Sadler Means, Sylvia Orozco, Cathy Revilla Vasquez and Peggy Vasquez.
The mosaics were produced in a collaboration between six Austin female artists of color and Latinitas, Austin’s only bilingual STEM nonprofit for 20 years. The organization empowers all girls to innovate through media and technology by providing resources, training and esteem-boosting services, not only based in gender, but also culture. The art pieces were created in accordance with Latinitas 2021 Purple Party for Chica Power Rock the Block Party in June at Holly Commons, where the seventh mosaic of Ana Sisnett, Austin’s “Technomama,” is on display permanently.
Latinitas founder Laura Donnelly explains, ”These women were fighting for equity in education, public leadership, the arts, technology and even public spaces long before the climate of listening we are experiencing now. They were the first of their communities to run for office, graduate with Ph.D.s and fight segregation in Austin’s most popular spaces. The magnitude of what all these women have done for Austin’s culture is immeasurable.”
