Excelencia's Tree of Life
As Excelencia in Education’s first 10 years of service came to a close in 2014, Co-founders Sarita Brown and Deborah Santiago considered a meaningful way to mark the organization’s growth into a recognized leader accelerating Latino student success in higher education. They commissioned San Antonio-based artist Verónica Castillo Salas, a third-generation sculptor and award-winning ceramicist, to create a work of art that reflected our mission and invoked our community, culture, and roots. The result was Excelencia’s Tree of Life, now on display in our office in Washington, D.C. The sculpture is similar to the artist’s Tree of Life created for the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino’s debut exhibition in 2022.
Learn more about the significance and symbolism of the artwork below.
Significance
A one-of-a-kind ceramic, Excelencia’s Tree of Life encapsulates our organization’s history and mission. The sculpture is a depiction of a large, healthy tree, with Excelencia’s co-founders at its base holding a heart, representing our passion for education. Along its branches, literal blossoms appear interspersed with Latino and Latina college graduates and professionals — blossoms Excelencia seeks to grow by serving our mission — who contribute their talents and energies to their communities and country.
Through this artwork, we communicate our unfaltering belief in what can be accomplished by planting a seed and nourishing it to grow through support, collaboration, and hard work. Since its installation, Excelencia’s Tree of Life has become a focal point embodying Excelencia’s mission and impact. Taking selfies and group pictures with it is now a tradition for collaborators who travel to the organization’s D.C. office. Like those who gravitate toward Excelencia’s Tree of Life, our founders, staff, Board, and supporters remain committed to linking leadership, data, and practice to accelerate Latino student success and ensure America’s future with the talents of the Latino community.
Symbolism
In creating Excelencia’s Tree of Life, Verónica Castillo Salas was inspired by the world’s oldest and largest tree, El Árbol del Tule, in her parents’ homeland of Mexico. Castillo shared insights into the symbolism of the work:
Giant trees, like El Árbol del Tule, are a testimony of history. In the past, our ancestors would put memorials on this tree. It was a ‘tree of life’ because it symbolized lives and generations of strength and longevity. This giant tree began as a seed once. It was planted, and that related to Excelencia’s story; the dreams of these two women, who planted with passion and love a seed about education to help young Latinos. They planted this dream. They embraced it, and it grew.
I read the materials Excelencia publishes and saw how many Latinos have entered the professional ranks and succeeded at the highest levels, so I wanted to visualize that they become lawyers and doctors and architects... When these students benefit and move on, they too will plant seeds and keep growing and spreading life in the future. I hope they never forget the seed where they came from and how Excelencia helped them.
