(EL PASO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT — July 8, 2025) — In the heart of one of El Paso’s oldest neighborhoods, a vibrant transformation is underway. With brushes in hand and stories in their hearts, students from El Paso ISD are helping to restore and create murals in the historic Segundo Barrio; bringing new life to cherished walls that have long told the story of a resilient and proud community.
MORE PHOTOS: El Paso ISD students help with Segundo Barrio mural project
The mural project, which began over the summer, is a collaborative effort between El Paso ISD’s Community Schools program, CompARTE, the Southside Neighborhood Association, and Conscious Barrio Inc. Together, these organizations are not only beautifying public spaces but also strengthening connections to culture, identity, and history.
“This project is about more than just painting,” said Citlali Delgado, a 21-year-old teaching artist and Burges High School alumna. “It’s about community healing, cultural pride, and showing students that art can empower both people and neighborhoods.”
Delgado, along with students from Guillen Middle School, El Paso High School, and Bowie High School, helped create new parachute cloth murals which are now installed along a wall on Sixth Avenue between Ochoa and Virginia streets. Their work features a woman with flowing braids and a rattlesnake—symbols she says represent feminine strength and collective resilience.
“Throughout this project, the students are learning to collaborate, think critically, and take pride in their contributions,” Delgado said. “It’s important for them and their families to feel confident in their creativity and realize that being an artist is a valuable path.”
For Chris Perez, a student at Bowie High School, joining the mural team this summer was a meaningful way to stay connected and give back.
“I love being creative,” Perez said. “This project gave me purpose. My favorite part has been learning about the history of Segundo Barrio. These murals tell our stories and make sure we are heard.”
Some students, like Boris Plasencia, participated in restoring a mural originally painted in 1975 by local artist Arturo Avalos.
“My dad used to do murals, and he always said that people really look at them and understand what they mean,” Boris said. “I thought this would be a good way to help out my community.”
Avalos, who grew up in Segundo Barrio, painted the mural with other artists nearly 50 years ago and his goal was to protect the identity of the neighborhood through visual storytelling rooted in Mesoamerican culture.
“It was about beautifying our surroundings and promoting pride in who we are,” Avalos said. “Seeing students now helping to restore it—it means everything.”