photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Javy Ortiz, the artist who created the La Yarda public art on the Lawrence Loop, is pictured on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025.

Gabriel Hernandez said that while faith, family, food, the arts and community often come to mind when he thinks of Mexican culture, music is what means the most to him personally.

Hernandez is the grandson of the late Jesse and Juanita “Jenny” Hernandez from the Romero family, who were both longtime residents of La Yarda, and his family lived there until the 1951 flood, which destroyed the Mexican American housing complex on Lawrence’s east side.

He recalled on Saturday, before a crowd of dozens of people at Van Go, how during one of his visits to his grandparents’ home when he was in third grade, his grandfather brought out his dad’s trumpet for him to see.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Gabriel Hernandez, a La Yarda family member, is pictured on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025.

“And little did I know that that day was the start of something very special for me,” Hernandez said. “Not only did it begin connecting the dots for me to my heritage, but it also eventually created a foundation for me, being the basis of who I am and what I’m involved with today.”

Hernandez has since pursued a career in the electrical transmission and distribution industry, where he has more than 29 years of experience and currently works as a vice president at Burns & McDonnell Engineering. But, because of that interaction with his grandfather, he also learned how to play the trumpet.

“Which later turned into me wanting to learn all the Mexican folkloric songs one by one that my grandmother and grandfather listened to so often years later,” Hernandez said. “And little did I know, it created a pathway for becoming a professional mariachi trumpet player” in addition to his other professional accomplishments.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Dozens of people gathered for the La Yarda public art ribbon cutting, and the art is showcased on the 8th and Delaware streets section of the Lawrence Loop.

His family’s story is just one of many stories that ran through the complex of red brick buildings in the woods along the train tracks, which was built in the 1920s for railroad workers and their families and destroyed by the floodwaters a few decades later. And those stories are now commemorated in vibrant murals along the Eighth and Delaware section of the Lawrence Loop trail.

At the ribbon cutting celebration for the murals on Saturday, Hernandez said the artwork did a great job of portraying the atmosphere of La Yarda in its prime.

“(My grandparents) have always focused on the positives in life, not necessarily the hardships like the poverty and racial prejudice they endured,” Hernandez said. “… (The team has) done an exceptional job capturing the true essence of La Yarda and its most deserving recognition, preserving for all of us to see and for generations to come.”

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Family members of La Yarda were in attendance at the La Yarda public art red ribbon celebration on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025.

The murals were created by Javy Ortiz, a Mexican-born visual artist based in Lawrence. He is an active member of the local arts community and has participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions throughout the region.

“When I took the project on, I knew it was going to be a big project,” Ortiz said. “… And I didn’t really notice it until I started meeting with the families and really felt the passion and their stories and how much they really cared about this artwork being put up. That really drove me to pour it all out into the work and really do something that was going to be remembered for a while.”

The display along the Lawrence Loop also includes signs that recognizes the contributions of the La Yarda community. The effort to bring more recognition to La Yarda began about 20 years ago, but it gained significant momentum in recent years through a multi-year project led by Marlo Angell, who collaborated with Mexican American families to share their stories.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Dozens of people gathered for the La Yarda ribbon cutting celebration on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025.

The art project drew applications from all over the country, and Ortiz previously told the Journal-World that he was eager to apply because the story of La Yarda resonated with him, and he wanted to recognize the Mexican Americans in Lawrence.

“We got applications from California, Colorado, Michigan, and what a joy that the artist that was selected is right here from Lawrence, Kansas, Javy Ortiz,” Angell said. “He is a great listener. He’s a talented artist … but he is also just a really kind and fun person and just fit in.”

After the ribbon cutting, the attendees took a walk, with the band Mariachi Habanero leading the way, down to Van Go, 715 New Jersey St., for a reception including food catered from La Tropicana and live music from the band Maria the Mexican, who played songs inspired by each of the murals Ortiz created.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Marlo Angell is pictured on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025.

The project was produced by the Lawrence Arts Center and was made possible through funding from Blue Cross and Shield of Kansas as part of LiveWell Douglas County’s Pathways to a Healthy Kansas grant.

Andy Williams with BNSF Railway was also at the ceremony, and he said it’s important to remember the contributions that Mexican and other immigrant communities made to America’s railroads.

“I can’t overstate enough how important it is for not only the Hispanic community, but for immigrants from around the world who helped build the railroad across the United States,” Williams said. “The railroad recruited folks from Eastern Europe, from Russia, from Mexico, from all kinds of Latino communities, and they settled all up and down the railroad.”

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

A train passes by during the La Yarda public art ribbon cutting celebration.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The band, Maria the Mexican, sang songs that remind them of each of the artworks created by Javy Ortiz at the 8th and Delaware streets section of the Lawrence Loop.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

After the ribbon cutting for the La Yarda public art at 8th and Delaware streets, attendees walked to Van Go for the reception.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Kevin Martinez, a La Yarda family member, is pictured on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The band, Mariachi Habanero, played music from the 8th and Delaware section of the Lawrence Loop to the reception at Van Go, 715 New Jersey St.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

People pass others programs for the La Yarda ribbon cutting celebration through a fence.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Food was catered from La Tropicana.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The La Yarda public art is displayed at the 8th and Delaware streets section of the Lawrence Loop.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Dozens of people gathered at a reception at Van Go, 715 New Jersey St., after the La Yarda public art red ribbon celebration.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Dozens of people gathered at a reception at Van Go, 715 New Jersey St., after the La Yarda public art red ribbon celebration.