Photos: In the wake of tragedy, Uvalde residents look to murals for healing

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More than 21 vibrant murals cover the town of Uvalde after artists from all over Texas created memorials to the victims of the Robb Elementary school shooting.

“The downtown has been turned into this open air gallery. Educating [people], not only about the kids, but their stories and their lives,” said Abel Ortiz-Acosta, a local art teacher and organizer of the mural project.

Ortiz-Acosta worked with MAS Cultura, an Austin-based group that supports Latino artists, to pair artists with families of the victims. Family members shared details of their loved ones’ lives to create the personalized murals.

In July and August, the artists worked though hundred-degree heat and deep into the night to create the portraits. An occasional car would cruise slowly by, or stop to take photos of their progress. Residents brought the artists water, burgers and tacos and stopped to thank them for their work on the project.

Families and friends of the people who died also picked up paint brushes to contribute to the artwork.

“That’s the whole idea of some of these murals. That’s why we allow the families to come in and fill in an area,” Ortiz-Acosta said. “This is your family, this is part of your life. But it’s also part of the history of this community. In that sense, the healing begins with these murals.”

In late October, artists from San Antonio added the last touches to the final mural of the project, titled “Remember Their Names.” In this mural, all 21 victims are represented together.

“We’re never going to forget them, their faces — that’s why they had to be portraits,” Ortiz-Acosta said. “The murals provide a place where [the families] can celebrate. In the cemetery it’s somber. Here, it’s a celebration of their lives.”

Makenna Lee Elrod

East Nopal Street and U.S. Route 83

Layla Salazar

North East Street and East Nopal Street

Maranda Mathis

West Roberts Lane and North West Street

Eva Mireles

North East Street and East Nopal Street

Rojelio Torres

115 N. West St.

Tess Marie Mata

114 W. Main St.

Jose Manuel Flores Jr.

North East Street and East Nopal Street

Eliahna “Ellie” Amyah Garcia

115 N. West St.

Maite Rodriguez

North East Street and East Nopal Street

First: Friends and family members look at the mock-up of Maite’s mural. Last: Ana Rodriguez, wearing green Converse earrings, paints a small blue fish on the mural on July 24. Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune

Annabell Rodriguez

North East Street and East Nopal Street

Xavier Lopez

North East Street and East Nopal Street

Eliahna A. Torres

North East Street and East Nopal Street

Jackie Cazares

West Roberts Lane and North West Street

Jayce Carmelo Luevanos

North East Street and East Nopal Street

Irma and Joe Garcia

North High Street and West Roberts Lane

Jailah Nicole Silguero

North East Street and East Nopal Street

Uziyah Garcia

North East Street and East Nopal Street

Nevaeh Bravo

115 N. West St.

Alexandria “Lexi” Rubio

East North Street and Hornby Place

Amerie Jo Garza

North East Street and East Nopal Street

Alithia Ramirez

227 N. Getty St.

“Remember Their Names”

North East Street and East Nopal Street

Clarification, Nov. 3, 2022: This story has been updated to reflect a name change in the "Don't Forget Their Names" mural. It is now called "Remember Their Names."