The Center for Mexican American and Latino/a Studies has earned international recognition
for its innovative Latino cARTographies digital artboard, taking home a Silver Award
for Best Art Direction at the 2025 Collision Awards that recognizes excellence in
animation and motion design.
Directed by Creative Project Manager Justin Patera and featuring artwork by Texas-based artist Miguel Avila, the project was selected by a jury of top international experts in animation and motion design. The center found itself in distinguished company, with Collision Awards winners including industry giants Nickelodeon, Walt Disney Animation, The Daily Show, FX Networks, and The Museum of Modern Art.
Latino cARTographies is an interactive digital display that maps the vibrant Latino art scene across Houston's public and private spaces. The portable board showcases the social and geographic landscape of visual Latino art, preserving and promoting Latino artistic contributions while making them accessible to broader audiences.
"This is a great way to begin a career," said Patera, who has worked with CMALS since high school and spent the past five years developing the Latino cARTographies project. "I recently graduated from college and began full time with the Center, so this award feels like a great start."
Patera emphasized the significance of the recognition, noting that the center's achievement stands out among submissions from major industry players. "We learned that some of the recipients, and even the jurors, include Paramount, the Museum of Modern Art, Nickelodeon and Walt Disney Animation, so the achievement of this award for our small center compared to these conglomerates, is significant."
Dr. Pamela Quiroz, the center's director, acknowledges that the team didn't initially set out to win awards when creating the digital board. The nomination came about when their animator suggested submitting Patera's work for consideration. "It was Justin who took charge of these projects and created the storybook and directed the video animation of Miguel Avila's artwork," Quiroz explained.
The significance of the achievement became clearer as Quiroz learned more about the competition. "There were thousands of submissions from 25 countries which makes the achievement all the more significant," she said. "I'm very proud of Justin and I feel privileged to work with all of my colleagues on the digital board."
The international recognition has opened doors for the project, with invitations pouring in from prestigious venues. The team will present the digital board at Americans for the Arts, the National Humanities Conference, a museum conference in Spain this fall, and another in Paris in May 2026.
"The invitations, and of course the award, tell us that we're on the right track," Quiroz noted. The center has also been invited to showcase the digital board at events across the United States and Europe, helping to expand the reach of Latino artistic voices.
The Collision Awards represent the first global platform dedicated exclusively to honoring excellence in animation and motion design across all forms and applications. Amanda Needham, Managing Director of the Collision Awards, praised the project's contribution to inclusive storytelling that "challenges and reimagines how people see themselves and each other."
For Patera, who began as a high school intern and has grown with the project into his current role as creative project manager, the recognition validates years of dedicated work. "While awards are not the end goal, they certainly help to bring attention to the digital board," he said. "We'll keep going."
The Latino cARTographies project continues the Center for Mexican American and Latino/a Studies' mission to preserve, document, and celebrate Latino cultural contributions in Houston and beyond.