Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) and the Civic Art Division are excited to celebrate two exceptional leaders: Michele Leal, Board Chair of the Houston Arts Alliance, and Grace Zuñiga, Director of Civic Art, who were recently honored with the Mayor’s Hispanic Heritage Award! Grace and Michele were among seven outstanding individuals recognized for their contributions to Houston’s Hispanic community. 

Michele was presented with the Mayor’s Community Activist Award for her dedicated volunteer work improving and educating the Hispanic community. Her involvement spans leadership roles with Latin Women’s Initiative, Latino Texas PAC, and the Houston Public Library Foundation, where she co-chairs the Hispanic History Research Center campaign. An American Leadership Forum Senior Fellow and Latin Maecenas member at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Michele brings two decades of communications and public affairs expertise to everything she does. Her advocacy for cultural and gender equity continues to inspire others and earn recognition citywide!   

Grace received the Mayor’s Arts in the Community Award for her work enriching creativity in the Hispanic community through arts programs. Grace’s leadership of HAA’s Civic Art Division has championed artist-centered civic art practices and delivered public art projects that truly reflect our city’s cultural landscape. From her early days at Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (MECA), Sawyer Yards, and Houston City College, Grace has created countless opportunities for Houston artists. She is a bridge-builder for our creative community and continues to transform how we think about public art in Houston!   

Please join us in congratulating Grace and Michele on these well-deserved honors!