It’s about three in the afternoon on a muggy, end-of-summer day in downtown San Antonio. As the city prepares for the beginning of fall, bringing with it new color and beauty, Lionel and Kathy Sosa are relaxed and ready to embrace life’s splendor.
“Welcome,” Lionel says in a excited, vibrant tone. “Thanks so much for coming.”
His enthusiasm catches you by surprise. After many years of innovative thinking and trendsetting, Lionel still carries a light that others follow. His passion exudes as he sits with wife, Kathy, and describes how his passion was born.
“It was back in 1952, and Eisenhower was the Republican nominee for president,” Lionel said. “We had just gotten our first television at home, and that’s what was going on at the time, so that’s what we were watching. I marveled at how Eisenhower was saying all of the things that my mother and father had always said to me. When (Eisenhower) made his speech he alluded to values that I believed in.”
After hearing the politician’s impassioned discourse, the young Sosa told his parents that if he could cast a vote, he would pick Eisenhower. “They were aghast! They said ‘Oh my god, how can you say that. He’s a Republican, he’s Anglo!’” The young Sosa responded by telling his parents that Eisenhower was simply stating the same ideals they had worked to instill in him.
Lionel’s disillusionment with political standards - Democrat equals poor, Republican equals rich - led him to wonder why anyone would want to be financially poor. “If you are born into a Catholic family, you are a Catholic and there isn’t much you can say about it. But, that doesn’t mean that just because you are born into a Democratic family, you have to accept everything that they say. From a very early age, I found myself identifying with Republicans.”
Lionel’s vision of the American dream was painted by the examples of his family. His father entered the United States illegally and opened a laundry and cleaners in an Anglo neighborhood when he was 21-years-old. “At the time the neighborhood was all Germans and Belgians, but he set up there because he said Mexicans and Blacks do not have the money to pay someone to do their laundry, but Anglos do. And he didn’t name it the Robert Sosa Cleaners; he named it the Prospect Hill Cleaners. He made himself a part of the Prospect Hill neighborhood.”
The examples of his father taught Lionel that he was not any better than anyone else. He believed in working hard, but as his mother would point out, “Work hard, but because you are a Mexican you will have to work harder. That’s just the reality. We have to prove ourselves.”
He embraced the values his parents believed in: working hard and finding your dreams. He explained that he believes in being responsible, patriotic and committed to living a life of good moral values. His young mind grasped these beliefs, along with new ideas and curiosity about the world. Unbeknownst to him, his endless wonder would push him to grow up and change the advertising and political landscape across the country.
‘Proof,’ as his mother stated, came in the early 1960s when his artistic skills led him to develop a small graphic arts studio. Working in the studio and setting up various other projects at the time, Lionel’s company evolved into the largest art studio in Texas; then it turned into the largest ad agency in San Antonio, which he then turned into a Hispanic advertising agency with the help of his partner, Ernest Bromley.
During the 1970’s, Lionel helped revolutionize Hispanic marketing by driving attention to the often overlooked Latino market. He was one of the first in the industry to recognize the diverse, Latino cultural group as an important group of consumers, and perhaps more importantly, strong political shifters.
His work continues to garner praise from all areas of the country. In 2005, Time Magazine named him one of the Top 25 Most Influential Hispanics In America; he has worked as a media consultant for George W. Bush’s 2000 and 2004 campaigns; and has worked as a Hispanic Media Consultant on six Republican Presidential Campaigns since 1980. Of course, like a true visionsary, Lionel has turned his attention to new endeavors. Recently, he began working on MATT (Mexican and Americans Thinking Together). According to its website, www.matt.org, the goal of the organization is to encourage Mexicans and Americans to come together to bridge the gaps in understanding and quality of life so that we may truly prosper together. Lionel lives by the company motto, “Let’s Prosper Together.”
The idea behind MATT is to build better relations between the United States and Mexico. The hope is that the work will lead to better living situations for people throughout both countries. The group’s website is a buffet of video and editorial content, covering everything from the financial to the political world.
Beyond business, family is integral to Lionel. He praises his wife, Kathy, for her inspiration, and her own dedication to art and politics. She explained how the two creative minds came together. “I used to work for him at the agency,” Kathy said. “We were almost always on the same frequency about things. We liked to simplify complex things into simple parts. We both tend to think big about the possibility of things.
“My degrees are in politics,” Kathy added, “but when I was being recruited by Sosa and Associates to work for them, I didn’t really want to accept until they told me they did political advertising. The job was about creativity designed to reach the masses. The themes are universal and appeal to everybody. I think that is the (art and political) connection for me.”
Their passion for their work remains strong through the years. Kathy explained that they continue to explore new ideas together, keeping their creative juices flowing. “We look forward to working on projects together. Last night, we worked on some advertising, some conceptual ideas as part of our work for MATT.org.”
As artists, both Lionel and Kathy see creativity as a great way to convey ideas. Both feel that people can easily connect with artistic images. They use their talents as artists to explore political ideas. A glance around their cozy studio, and your eyes are drawn in by bright bold images. The colors stream off the walls and into your senses. The artwork tells tales, stories that are very close to Kathy and Lionel.
The Sosa’s journey is far from over. Currently, the two are immersed in MATT. After placing his semi-retirement plans on the back burner, Lionel returned to the political scene with MATT. “We’re back at it,” said Lionel. “We are putting a lot of time into it.”
The Sosa’s continue to develop and implement brave new ideas. Lionel even recently released a book titled, “Think and Grow Rich: A Latino Choice.” Kathy’s artwork received national attention during its recent run at Washington D.C.’s “Mexico at the Smithsonian” exhibit. As the Sosas move forward, painting art landscapes and changing the political one, they stand committed to influencing a new generation of creative minds.
“Welcome,” Lionel says in a excited, vibrant tone. “Thanks so much for coming.”
His enthusiasm catches you by surprise. After many years of innovative thinking and trendsetting, Lionel still carries a light that others follow. His passion exudes as he sits with wife, Kathy, and describes how his passion was born.
“It was back in 1952, and Eisenhower was the Republican nominee for president,” Lionel said. “We had just gotten our first television at home, and that’s what was going on at the time, so that’s what we were watching. I marveled at how Eisenhower was saying all of the things that my mother and father had always said to me. When (Eisenhower) made his speech he alluded to values that I believed in.”
After hearing the politician’s impassioned discourse, the young Sosa told his parents that if he could cast a vote, he would pick Eisenhower. “They were aghast! They said ‘Oh my god, how can you say that. He’s a Republican, he’s Anglo!’” The young Sosa responded by telling his parents that Eisenhower was simply stating the same ideals they had worked to instill in him.
Lionel’s disillusionment with political standards - Democrat equals poor, Republican equals rich - led him to wonder why anyone would want to be financially poor. “If you are born into a Catholic family, you are a Catholic and there isn’t much you can say about it. But, that doesn’t mean that just because you are born into a Democratic family, you have to accept everything that they say. From a very early age, I found myself identifying with Republicans.”
Lionel’s vision of the American dream was painted by the examples of his family. His father entered the United States illegally and opened a laundry and cleaners in an Anglo neighborhood when he was 21-years-old. “At the time the neighborhood was all Germans and Belgians, but he set up there because he said Mexicans and Blacks do not have the money to pay someone to do their laundry, but Anglos do. And he didn’t name it the Robert Sosa Cleaners; he named it the Prospect Hill Cleaners. He made himself a part of the Prospect Hill neighborhood.”
The examples of his father taught Lionel that he was not any better than anyone else. He believed in working hard, but as his mother would point out, “Work hard, but because you are a Mexican you will have to work harder. That’s just the reality. We have to prove ourselves.”
He embraced the values his parents believed in: working hard and finding your dreams. He explained that he believes in being responsible, patriotic and committed to living a life of good moral values. His young mind grasped these beliefs, along with new ideas and curiosity about the world. Unbeknownst to him, his endless wonder would push him to grow up and change the advertising and political landscape across the country.
‘Proof,’ as his mother stated, came in the early 1960s when his artistic skills led him to develop a small graphic arts studio. Working in the studio and setting up various other projects at the time, Lionel’s company evolved into the largest art studio in Texas; then it turned into the largest ad agency in San Antonio, which he then turned into a Hispanic advertising agency with the help of his partner, Ernest Bromley.
During the 1970’s, Lionel helped revolutionize Hispanic marketing by driving attention to the often overlooked Latino market. He was one of the first in the industry to recognize the diverse, Latino cultural group as an important group of consumers, and perhaps more importantly, strong political shifters.
His work continues to garner praise from all areas of the country. In 2005, Time Magazine named him one of the Top 25 Most Influential Hispanics In America; he has worked as a media consultant for George W. Bush’s 2000 and 2004 campaigns; and has worked as a Hispanic Media Consultant on six Republican Presidential Campaigns since 1980. Of course, like a true visionsary, Lionel has turned his attention to new endeavors. Recently, he began working on MATT (Mexican and Americans Thinking Together). According to its website, www.matt.org, the goal of the organization is to encourage Mexicans and Americans to come together to bridge the gaps in understanding and quality of life so that we may truly prosper together. Lionel lives by the company motto, “Let’s Prosper Together.”
The idea behind MATT is to build better relations between the United States and Mexico. The hope is that the work will lead to better living situations for people throughout both countries. The group’s website is a buffet of video and editorial content, covering everything from the financial to the political world.
Beyond business, family is integral to Lionel. He praises his wife, Kathy, for her inspiration, and her own dedication to art and politics. She explained how the two creative minds came together. “I used to work for him at the agency,” Kathy said. “We were almost always on the same frequency about things. We liked to simplify complex things into simple parts. We both tend to think big about the possibility of things.
“My degrees are in politics,” Kathy added, “but when I was being recruited by Sosa and Associates to work for them, I didn’t really want to accept until they told me they did political advertising. The job was about creativity designed to reach the masses. The themes are universal and appeal to everybody. I think that is the (art and political) connection for me.”
Their passion for their work remains strong through the years. Kathy explained that they continue to explore new ideas together, keeping their creative juices flowing. “We look forward to working on projects together. Last night, we worked on some advertising, some conceptual ideas as part of our work for MATT.org.”
As artists, both Lionel and Kathy see creativity as a great way to convey ideas. Both feel that people can easily connect with artistic images. They use their talents as artists to explore political ideas. A glance around their cozy studio, and your eyes are drawn in by bright bold images. The colors stream off the walls and into your senses. The artwork tells tales, stories that are very close to Kathy and Lionel.
The Sosa’s journey is far from over. Currently, the two are immersed in MATT. After placing his semi-retirement plans on the back burner, Lionel returned to the political scene with MATT. “We’re back at it,” said Lionel. “We are putting a lot of time into it.”
The Sosa’s continue to develop and implement brave new ideas. Lionel even recently released a book titled, “Think and Grow Rich: A Latino Choice.” Kathy’s artwork received national attention during its recent run at Washington D.C.’s “Mexico at the Smithsonian” exhibit. As the Sosas move forward, painting art landscapes and changing the political one, they stand committed to influencing a new generation of creative minds.
