The Life and Vision of Mel Casas Born in El Paso, United States, Mel Casas was an American artist, activist, writer, and teacher. His early life was shaped by his upbringing in El Segundo Barrio and his service in the Korean War, during which he was wounded and awarded a Purple Heart. After serving, he pursued higher education, earning a BA from Texas Western College and an MFA from the University of the Americas in Mexico City. Casas…