Through music and painting, artists have begun works to preserve the lives lost in the Robb Elementary School shooting. “We want them to be monumental,” one artist said. “Because those lives should’ve been monumental.”

SAN ANTONIO – Cruz Ortíz has been creating art in San Antonio since the early ’90s. His style has evolved, but his mission to capture historical perspectives through art remains. “I remember starting off thinking, man, I really want to have a show at the Bluestar (Arts Complex),” Ortíz said. “Especially with, like, the Castro (brothers) or, you know, Dr. Ellen (Riojas) Clark (from UTSA), (or) Willie Velásquez, there’s definitely those historical perspectives (I want to capture),” Ortíz said. It’s Texas, you know, and Texas is a large community of Latinos,” Cruz said.

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio, a majority Hispanic city, has the fourth-largest Latino population in the United States. From chefs and political stars to entertainers, athletes and personalities bigger than the North Star Mall boots, here’s a look at 25 influential Latinos in San Antonio, in no particular order. Marina Gonzales: The former CEO of Child Advocates San Antonio is now the new president and CEO of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Her resume also includes serving as the Chief of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology Division at the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio and now is the 2020 Chairwoman for the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Erika Prosper Nirenberg: Currently the first lady of San Antonio, Nirenberg has blazed her own path here in San Antonio and is influential to many.