Rothko Chapel and the Rothko Chapel Welcome House are open every day between December 23rd and January 4th with special hours on the 24th, 25th, 31st and January 1st.
December 19, 2025
ROTHKO CHAPEL ANNOUNCES 2026 ÓSCAR ROMERO AWARDEES 45 YEARS AFTER SAINT’S MARTYRDOM
Five Texas-based health justice advocates will be honored for their work in a hybrid ceremony on April 11
Next spring the Rothko Chapel will honor five organizations and individuals with the prestigious Óscar Romero Award, recognizing courageous, grassroots, human rights advocacy. The 2026 Award focuses on health justice with honorees exemplifying a commitment to building ecosystems of physical and spiritual wellbeing in the face of enormous economic and political pressures.
The five recipients of the 2026 Óscar Romero Awards include:
“This year’s award recognizes incredible individuals and organizations who have committed their life work to uplifting human dignity and community well-being, both inside and outside of traditional healthcare settings. The awardees are engaging in sacred creation of possibility for our most vulnerable siblings,” stated Abdullah Antepli, Rothko Chapel President.
The Rothko Chapel will host a public, in-person and livestream award ceremony on Saturday, April 11, 2026, 3pm CT at 3900 Yupon Street.
About the Rothko Chapel Óscar Romero Awards
Since 1986, the Rothko Chapel has given awards to 24 grassroots activists working under extraordinary circumstances to advance human rights, often without widespread recognition and at great personal risk. The award includes an unrestricted cash stipend and serves to increase the visibility and recognition of awardees’ work.
The award is named after Archbishop Óscar Romero of San Salvador, who was assassinated by El Salvadorian extremist political forces on March 24, 1980, because of his vocal opposition to military violence and his courageous defense of poor and marginalized communities in his country. Saint Óscar Romero, canonized in 2018, is championed today for risking his life and reputation to speak out against social injustice and has inspired countless others to advocate for justice in the face of great economic and political pressure.
Kevin Anderson & The T.R.U.T.H. Project (Houston, TX)
Kevin D. Anderson (he/him) is a cultural strategist, wellness advocate, and the Founder and CEO of The T.R.U.T.H. Project, Inc., a nonprofit rooted in healing justice that centers mental, emotional, and sexual health within Queer Communities of Color through the transformative power of art and storytelling. In 2009, he launched heART&SOUL, one of the longest-running Queer-centered multidisciplinary open mic experiences in the country, leading to the founding of The T.R.U.T.H. Project in 2013 to amplify the voices of Queer and Trans communities of color and build programming that affirms identity, promotes self-care, and dismantles stigma. As a filmmaker, his body of work includes 4-time award-winning short documentary, And We Rest on Giants, a tender tribute to resilience and love for those living with HIV. His forthcoming documentaries, Hand in Hand: Storytelling of HIV & Aging in the Rural South and Southern Son Shine: Storytelling of Black Gay Men in the South, continue his commitment to cultural truth-telling and intergenerational wellness.
Upon announcement of this award, Anderson said, “Receiving the Romero Award is both an honor and a responsibility. It affirms that storytelling, healing, and community care are sacred acts of resistance. My work has always lived at the intersection of art, public health, and justice, rooted in the lived experiences of queer and trans people of color and those thriving with HIV. This award tells me that the work of tending to our wholeness, even in the face of harm, is not only seen but deeply valued.”
FAJR Global (Houston, TX)
FAJR Global is an international humanitarian organization founded in 2022 by Dr. Khaled Saleh and Dr. Mosab Nasser with a mission to provide world-class surgical and medical care to those in need. FAJR operates on the frontlines of humanitarian healthcare, from overcrowded hospitals in Gaza to underserved refugee communities across the Middle East, leading surgical missions, coordinating complex medical evacuations, and delivering lifesaving emergency relief. In 2023, FAJR made history by completing the largest orthopedic mission ever conducted in Palestine, performing hundreds of critical surgeries in just five days, an achievement that reflects both the organization’s medical expertise and its unwavering commitment to human dignity. Today, FAJR supports evacuated children and families across multiple countries, provides long-term medical, psychosocial, and educational assistance, and partners with global institutions to respond rapidly to crises.
Guided by a vision to educate future healers, empower resilient communities, and rise boldly for the vulnerable, FAJR Global continues to champion a simple truth: compassion, when paired with action, can transform futures and rebuild hope, one life at a time. When asked about this recognition, FAJR Global said, “In this moment of urgent need, celebration cannot be passive—it must be a call to conscience. The most meaningful way for the Rothko Chapel community to celebrate our work is through solidarity with the people of Gaza: lifting up their voices, recognizing their dignity, and responding to their suffering with action, not silence.”
Pastor Dianne Garcia & Nuevos Vecinos (San Antonio, TX)
Dianne Garcia began her career running a day camp for homeless children and teaching in marginalized communities. She served as an Associate Pastor at a Mennonite church for three years before planting Iglesia Cristiana Roca de Refugio in San Antonio, Texas, in April 2023 with a group of immigrant women who felt called to create a community of belonging and belovedness in the family of God for other immigrants. The church founded the ministry organization, Nuevos Vecinos, in February 2024 also led by Dianne, to create community together with immigrant families. Nuevos Vecinos supports families in crisis into stability so that they can become active participants again in their community. Dianne believes fundamentally in our Christian call to hospitality for all, and that hospitality requires us to be co-creators in the transformation of our world, adopting an attitude of humility, learning, and empowerment of others, particularly those who have been oppressed.
Pastor Garcia says of this honor, “I have learned from my community that you should never miss a birthday party. We take every opportunity we can to celebrate life and love in our community, but we also celebrate birthdays because they are reminders of our shared humanity---we are all human beings spinning around on this planet together. Celebrating with joy our connection to one another, our mutuality, our solidarity is our most powerful response to injustice and dehumanization.”
Ruben Garcia & Annunciation House (El Paso, TX)
Ruben Garcia is the Executive Director of Annunciation House in El Paso, Texas, a Catholic-based non-profit providing hospitality to migrants, refugees, and economically vulnerable people at the US-Mexico border. Over its 45-year history, Annunciation House has assisted more than 500,000 migrants, refugees and immigrants in a Gospel spirit of service and solidarity. Ruben Garcia co-founded Annunciation House in the late 1970s to address the urgent needs of migrants at the border and under his leadership, the organization has grown significantly, providing shelter, food, and legal assistance to thousands.
Recognized for his contributions to humanitarian aid, Garcia continues to be a leading voice for humane immigration policies and the protection of human rights and dignity. Upon announcement of receiving the Award, Garcia wrote, “Óscar Romero is one of my heroes and he has been a guiding inspiration for the work of Annunciation House for many years. We ask the Rothko Chapel community to seek ways to accompany refugees and immigrants throughout the country by extending to them a place at the table that is the United States.”
Transgender Education Network of Texas (Houston, TX)
The Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT) is the state’s largest policy organization for and by trans Texans. Through education and advocacy, we aim to empower trans Texans and their loved ones. Since the organization’s founding ten years ago, TENT has grown from a rambunctious group of trans folks in Houston to the statewide and geographically diverse organization it is today. We create spaces for trans people of all backgrounds, faiths, and perspectives to ensure an inclusive and safe environment in our shared home state. Through our earnest and no-nonsense approach, we seek to create a Texas where trans people cannot only survive but thrive.
TENT’s Senior Field and Policy Director, Andrea Segovia (she/her) says of their collective work, “The last decade has certainly been an uphill battle. What keeps us grounded and motivated are the incredible people we serve, and our shared vision of our future. It has been an honor working with trans Texans, families, legislators, and lawyers to build the foundation for a world where trans people don’t have to fight anymore.”
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, and Nicola Springer.
About Rothko Chapel
The Rothko Chapel serves as a reflective, sacred space and presents programming that promotes spirituality, creativity, dialogue and action leading to more equitable, empowered and engaged communities in Houston and beyond. Founded by Dominique and John de Menil, the Chapel was dedicated in 1971 as an interfaith, nonsectarian sanctuary, and invites visitors from around the world to experience the power and sanctity of Mark Rothko’s monumental paintings alongside Barnett Newman’s Broken Obelisk sculpture dedicated to the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Chapel is open for daily visitation Tuesday through Sunday, 10am-6pm.
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Media Contact
Kelly Johnson
Rothko Chapel
kelly.johnson@rothkochapel.org
713.660.1403