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For more than a decade, a committee of dedicated, resolute individuals worked to bring an extraordinary vision to life. On Jan. 13, the committee members' hard work came fullcircle as they each grasped small golden shovels and unearthed soil at the south lawn of the Texas Capitol, anticipating the finish of the new Tejano Monument.
Though the Tejano Monument will be joining a number of statues already housed on Capitol grounds, it has a rather significant message: it commemorates the past and present significance of early Spanish and Mexican settlers and their descendants. The 550-square-foot monument includes 12 bronze statues depicting various symbols of Spanish and Mexican settlements in the state. It also displays essay plaques describing the Hispanic experience from five time periods ranging from 1519 to the 20th century.
At the top of the elegant structure, a Spanish explorer looks into the future. The second, central figure is of a Tejano Vaquero who has honed his cattle-handling skills as a result of the Spaniards' introduction...