City Of San Antonio: Kitty Hawk Middle School Student Wins Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission's Citywide Art Contest

San Antonio TX

24 December, 2021

12:17 PM

Description

Press release from the City of San Antonio: December 17, 2021 CONTACT: Stacey Norton, 210-207-6960 [email protected] SAN ANTONIO (December 17, 2021) – The City of San Antonio's Department of Arts & Culture and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Commission today announced that Cyaundra Chatman's artwork titled "Free to Be..." is the winner of the commission's Seventh Annual Citywide Art Contest. Chatman, a 12-year-old student at Judson Independent School District's Kitty Hawk Middle School, created her artwork using sketch pad, pencil, pen and markers. "I was inspired by Dr. King's 'I Have A Dream' speech when he talks about all people are created equal, racial injustice and how we are all God's children," said Chatman. "To me 'Free to Be... ' means you are free to be yourself no matter what it is. Everyone should be accepted and comfortable in their own skin. Chatman's entry will be used as the visual representation of the 2022 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative March and Legacy Celebration which takes place on Monday, January 17, 2022, at 10:00 am. "This year's theme 'Free to Be…' is an expression of creativity, freedom and self-determination," said District 2 City Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez. "Following a challenging series of years, it's important to remind ourselves that we are not limited by our circumstances - we are limitless. We are free to aspire, to challenge the status quo, to lead and inspire." Competitively scored by a panel based on concept, artistic imagery, visual presentation and originality, the Citywide Art Contest provides youth an opportunity to play a significant role in the celebration through art. "Art is an integral part of telling our story as a city and a nation," said Krystal Jones, Interim Executive Director of the Department of Arts & Culture. "It is exciting to see our youth use their creativity to reflect Dr. King's message and continue San Antonio's long-standing history as a city that honors his legacy. It is my pleasure to congratulate Cyaundra and all the aspiring young artists who enriched this annual citywide art contest with their creativity and thoughtfulness." Since 1987, the City of San Antonio has celebrated the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with an annual series of events leading up to one of the largest marches in the country. The MLK commemorative events will be held on virtual platforms and in-person. To learn more about 35th Annual MLK March and Legacy Celebration, visit https://www.sanantonio.gov/MLK. For more about the City of San Antonio's Department of Arts & Culture, visit www.SanAntonio.gov/Arts and follow @GetCreativeSA. This press release was produced by the City of San Antonio. The views expressed here are the author's own.