B. 1943 - Amado Pena Jr.'s art focuses on Hispanic and Native American figures and has been described as capturing the essence of the Southwest. Pena, a mestizo of Mexican and Yaqui Indian descent, was born in 1943 and raised in Laredo, Texas. He earned B.A. and M.A. degrees at Texas A & I University in Kingsville, Texas and was an art teacher in Texas public schools for sixteen years. Pena is known for his humanitarian efforts, and his fund-raising activities have benefited charities such as the March of Dimes, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Native American Rights Fund and the Mexican American Legal and Educational Fund. The Amado and JB Pena "Art Has Heart" Foundation, established in 1994, provides opportunities for low and modest income students in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona to further their education in the arts.