![Chron | R Valdez](https://ifp.nyu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/1-38-1024x544.jpg)
“Valdez worked on the mural for six to nine months, he interviewed students, and he brought over students from elementary schools in town to put their handprints on the mural,” said former UT professor Barbara Anderson. “It was really a defining part of the building because it was so dominant and really inspiring.” Anderson, who worked in the building teaching students for over two decades, and another retired UT professor, Kathy Armenta, are spearheading the effort to save the historic building. Above: Titled “Heart and Soul,” the mural is located in the grand staircase and spans three floors. If the building is demolished, the work would be lost as it’s acrylic painted on cinderblock and there’s no way to safely remove it from the walls.