The Óscar Romero Award
Since 1986, the Rothko Chapel has given an award to grassroots activists who are working under extraordinary circumstances to advance human rights, often without widespread recognition and at great personal risk. This award is named in honor of Saint Óscar Romero of San Salvador, who was murdered in March 1980 while conducting Catholic Mass in a local hospital chapel. He is recognized internationally as a martyr and has inspired countless others to advocate for justice even in the face of great economic and political pressure.
The 2026 Rothko Chapel Óscar Romero Award recognizes individuals and organizations exercising courageous, grassroots, human rights advocacy to further health justice in Texas and beyond.
Spring 2026 Awardees will be announced shortly.
The 2026 Óscar Romero Award Nomination Committee included members of the Rothko Chapel Program Committee: Abdullah Antepli, Omar El-Halwagi, Holly Hudley, Kelly Johnson, Rev. Laura Mayo, Troy Porter, Kate Rothko Prizel, Aziz Shaibani, Nicola Springer.
2023 Rothko Chapel Óscar Romero Award Ceremony
Sunday, March 26 2023, 3 PM
2023 Awardees include Rev. Erika Ferguson, Principal, Envision Justice & Reproductive Justice Post Roe (Dallas, Texas); Secunda Joseph, Co-Founder & Director of Smart Media & Organizing with ImagiNoir/BLMTX (Houston, TX); and The People’s Paper Co-Op (Philadelphia, PA).
2020 Rothko Chapel Óscar Romero Award Ceremony (Livestream)
Tuesday, June 30 2020, 6 PM
2020 Awardees include Gérman Chirinos, Founder of MASSVIDA (Honduras); Bernadette Demientieff, Executive Director of the Gwich’in Steering Committee (Alaska); and Jorge Díaz, Co-Founder of AgitArte (Puerto Rico).
2017 Rothko Chapel Óscar Romero Award Ceremony
Sunday, November 12 2017, 3 PM
2017 awardees include Pierre Claver Mbonimpa, Executive Director of Association for the Protection of Prisoners and Human Rights in Burundi; and Kathryn Griffin Griñán, a Recovery Coach & Peer-To-Peer Counselor at Been There, Done That in Houston, Texas.
