The mural, titled Sacrificios, was created by the Luminaria Mural Team, which includes Adrian De La Cruz, Andrea Rivas and Mauro de la Tierra. Credit: Courtesy Photo / Luminaria

San Antonio arts nonprofit Luminaria has unveiled a mural honoring the 53 lives lost when an 18-wheeler carrying undocumented migrants was abandoned on the South Side during a sweltering summer day two years ago.

The new artwork, located in the South Side’s Mission County Park, was dedicated Wednesday morning during a ceremony attended by Bexar County Commissioner Rebeca Clay-Flores and Yadhira Lozano, Luminaria’s executive director.

The grisly June 27, 2022 discovery became the largest human trafficking tragedy in modern history, shocking not only San Antonio but the world. Those who died in the trailer succumbed to heat after being locked inside without access to water or cool air.

Law enforcement officials found the rig abandoned on Quintana Road near Lackland Air Force Base after a nearby worker reported hearing cries for help. 

On the second anniversary of the horrific event, Clay-Flores commissioned Luminaria to create a mural in tribute to those who died.

“It is our honor to have been commissioned to create this mural at the request of Commissioner Clay-Flores,” Luminaria’s Lozano said. “As a proud Southsider, it is a deeply personal subject matter for many of us in our community including the artists who designed the mural reflecting dignity and respect for the migrants.”

The mural was created by Luminaria’s Mural Team, which is composed of San Antonio artists Adrian De La Cruz, Andrea Rivas and Mauro de la Tierra.

Titled Sacrificios, the mural’s design takes a broad approach to immigration and  “raises awareness about the challenges migrants face,” according to Luminaria’s announcement.

The mural features immigrants crossing the Rio Grande in hopes of a better life. Monarch butterflies, which frequently appear around border imagery in the work of artist Mauro de la Tierra, mirror their arduous journey with a migratory path that spans Mexico, the United States and Canada.

Those lost in June 2022 are honored by 53 stars in the mural’s darkening sky.

“The tragic incident on June 27, 2022, serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by migrants seeking a better life,” Clay-Flores said. “Through the creation of this mural, we aim to honor their memory and shed light on the human stories behind the statistics.”

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This article appears in Best of San Antonio 2024.

Stephanie Koithan is the Digital Content Editor of the San Antonio Current. In her role, she writes about politics, music, art, culture and food. Send her a tip at skoithan@sacurrent.com.