St. Austin's parishioner Teresa Palomo-Acosta received the Liz Carpenter Award from the Texas State Historical Association on February 24 at the group's annual meeting. She was recognized for her recently published book, Tejanaland - A Writing Life in Four Acts. Her work draws breath from the breadth of her experience and career as a poet, playwright, journalist, and author. Tejanaland brings to the narrative of Texas the unique and important voices as well as the rich perspectives of Tejana women. The award, named for Liz Carpenter, who herself made Texas history, encourages scholarly research and publication of histories of Texas women. Teresa, a native Tejana, honors her cultural heritage and identity through many works and collaborations including Las Tejanas: 300 Years of History, coauthored with Ruthe Winegarten, and her significant contributions to The Handbook of Texas. In our community, Teresa is a member of Women of Faith Unbound. That group's investment of years of energy and effort brought the statues of Saints Mary of Magdala and Phoebe to our sanctuary.
Teresa and Pat Mokry created the exhibit 
that introduced the saints and their sculptor to the parish, a contribution consistent with her scholarly work. Through those saintly images, we celebrate the role of women and their leadership in our faith.

Brava, Teresa!