This year’s Feeding Creativity Gallery Night was curated from the imagination of local students, as the Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB) invited K–12 youth across Central Texas to submit original artwork inspired by the theme “Food Unites Us: Celebrating Cultural Connections.” Over 200 young artists responded with powerful, personal, and vibrant interpretations of what it means to come together through food.
After review by a panel of local artists and community leaders, Sulema, a junior in high school from Weiss High School in Pflugerville ISD, was named the 2025 Grand Prize Winner. Her piece, now displayed on a freshly wrapped CTFB delivery truck, bursts with color and joy as a family gathers for a picnic, a fun tradition for Sulema’s family.
“We always bring tamales, Mexican food, fruit, and drinks to family gatherings,” she shares. “My favorite thing is playing with my cousins and sisters. It’s a big family event.”
Sulema created the piece using markers and watercolors to bring her memories to life. She credits her art teacher for encouraging her to enter, but the vision was all her own — grounded in lived experience, culture, and family traditions.
When asked what food means to her family, Sulema shares, “For us, it means being able to have nutrition.” Food is something her family doesn’t take for granted.
The unveiling of her artwork on the truck at Gallery Night was a surreal moment.
“I honestly didn’t believe it,” she laughed. “I saw it... and I was like, ‘Oh my God, I won?’ It felt unreal.”
Her art teacher, Lyndsey Hendrix, was equally thrilled, “Sulema was the only student who took me up on the offer to participate [in the contest] — and she did it all on her own,” she said. “I didn’t even know if she was going to finish. Then I got the email that she won, and I was like, ‘No way!’ I’m just so proud.”
Hendrix said the competition reflected the very spirit of community the theme called for, “Our school is such a blend of cultures, and this was the perfect prompt. Art gives students a voice, and they’re not afraid to use it.”
Now, Sulema’s artwork is traveling across Central Texas — delivering nutritious meals and a message of unity.
“I want people to see that everyone can come together and enjoy a meal, even if they're a different race or a different culture. Everyone can enjoy food.”
Meals Put the Fun in Summer
Feeding Creativity Gallery Night isn’t just a celebration of student art, it’s also a powerful moment to shine a light on summer hunger. Every year, as the school year ends, many children across Central Texas face increased food insecurity without access to free and reduced-price school meals. This special evening gives kids the chance to raise their voices through art while calling attention to the reality that many of their peers don’t have enough to eat when school is out.
Summer can be a hard time for families, but CTFB is here to help. We’re offering special summer meal distributions and programs to ensure every child has access to nourishing food while school is out. Find summer meals near you.
1 in 4 children in Central Texas is food insecure. During the summer months, many lose access to the school lunches they rely on to grow, learn, play, and thrive. We’re committed to ensuring all children and families have the food they need this summer — and you can help make that possible.
Triple Your Impact! Thanks to the Gates Family, Brighter Sky Foundation, and the Stumberg Family, all gifts will be triple matched until August 8. That means you can provide 3x as many nourishing meals to children across Central Texas who may be missing meals while school is out. TRIPLE your impact with a matched gift today.
