Let the children of Gaza play in peace. Cease war now! Articles Inside: GAZA no llores/GAZA don’t you cry (poems) • To Save a Life: Help Rolla Rescue Her Family from Gaza • Tribute to Aaron Bushnell • 15th Anniversary of Paseo por El Westside/Hace Quince Años • Our Homes, Our Futures: 2024 Right to the City All Member Assembly • Is ‘Cultural Erasure’ Only Wrong When Our Enemies Do It? y mas! April 2024 Vol. 37 Issue 3 San Antonio, Tejas
May is National Historic Preservation Month. Our focus on preserving Westside cultura and neighborhoods of San Antonio began in earnest in 2002 when the famous dance hall, La Gloria, with its rooftop dance floor and beautiful arches was demolished. Since then, the Esperanza with community support has redoubled efforts to preserve Westside landmarks including small shotgun homes, tienditas, historic buildings and other meaningful sites. The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center has also been on a quest to preserve the photos and stories of gente from the Westside. Bringing together elders of the Westside—or with connections to the Westside—has resulted in a multitude of photos and stories that will now be part of a new entity, El Museo del Westside that will have a soft opening at the Paseo por el Westside on May 4th. It has been 15 years since the first Paseo in 2010. The folks that have been the driving force for the preservation of Westside history and culture have been los sabios, elders who have gathered at the Casa de Cuentos with their photos and oral histories unearthing a rich legacy of stories. As we approach the 15th anniversary of the Paseo, we hold dear in our hearts the passing of many of these cherished elders who have contributed so much by sharing their life stories. In this issue, we remember a few of our queridos sabios that were with us at that first Paseo and encourage gente with Westside photos and stories to continue to share their stories on Second Saturdays at the Casa de Cuentos, 816 Colorado or call 210.228.0201 Send articles and literary contributions to: [email protected] – Gloria A. Ramírez, editor of La Voz de Esperanza La Voz de Esperanza April 2024 Vol. 37 Issue 3 Editor: Gloria A. Ramírez Design: Elizandro Carrington Cover Photo: Salem Medhat Contributors Greg Harman (Deceleration News), Robert C. Koehler (Common Dreams), Kayla Miranda, Dianne Monroe, Mike Prysner (Empire Files Substack) Esperanza Director Graciela I. Sánchez Esperanza Staff Sherry Campos, Elizandro Carrington, Sarah Chavarria, Kayla Miranda, Roxanna Rojas, René Saenz, Imane Saliba, Susana Segura, Rosa Vega Conjunto de Nepantleras —Esperanza Board of Directors— Richard Aguilar, Norma Cantú, Brent Floyd, Rachel Jennings, Amy Kastely, Ana Lucía Ramírez, Gloria A. Ramírez, Rudy Rosales, Lilliana Saldaña, Nadine Saliba, Graciela I. Sánchez • We advocate for a wide variety of social, economic & environmental justice issues. • Opinions expressed in La Voz are not necessarily those of the Esperanza Center. La Voz de Esperanza is a publication of Esperanza Peace & Justice Center 922 San Pedro, San Antonio, TX 78212 210.228.0201 • www.esperanzacenter.org Inquiries/Articles can be sent to: [email protected] Articles due by the 8th of each month Policy Statements * We ask that articles be visionary, progressive, instructive & thoughtful. Submissions must be literate & critical; not sexist, racist, homophobic, violent, or oppressive & may be edited for length. * All letters in response to Esperanza activities or articles in La Voz will be considered for publication. Letters with intent to slander 2 individuals or groups will not be published. VOZ VISION STATEMENT: La Voz de Esperanza speaks for many individual, progressive voices who are gente-based, multi-visioned and milagro-bound. We are diverse survivors of materialism, racism, misogyny, homophobia, classism, violence, earth-damage, speciesism and cultural and political oppression. We are recapturing the powers of alliance, activism and healthy conflict in order to achieve interdependent economic/ spiritual healing and fuerza. La Voz is a resource for peace, justice, and human rights, providing a forum for criticism, information, education, humor and other creative works. La Voz provokes bold actions in response to local and global problems, with the knowledge that the many risks we take for the earth, our body, and the dignity of all people will result in profound change for the seven generations to come. ATTENTION VOZ READERS: If you have a mailing address correction please send it to lavoz@ esperanzacenter.org. If you want to be removed from the La Voz mailing list, for whatever reason, please let us know. La Voz is provided as a courtesy to people on the mailing list of the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. The subscription rate is $35 per year ($100 for institutions). The cost of producing and mailing La Voz has substantially increased and we need your help to keep it afloat. To help, send in your subscriptions, sign up as a monthly donor, or send in a donation to the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. Thank you. -GAR LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • April 2024 Vol. 37 Issue 3 • Las Tesoros de San Antonio at the 2013 gala for Eva Garza, who was from the Alazan-Apache Courts. Pictured are Beatriz Llamas, Paloma del Norte (died 2023), Janet Cortez, Perla Tapatia, (died 2014), Blanca Rodríguez, Blanca Rosa, the only surviving Tesoro who will sing at the Paseo on May 4th and Rita Vidaurri, La Calandria (died 2019). Elders who have passed will be missed at the 2024 Paseo. ¡GAZA no llores! Flotando con el aleteo de los copos de nieve entre las brisas de la entrada primaveral, tapando con su manto las diferencias percibidas con la misma indiferencia de la sociedad imperante, que distorsionan el mismo espejismo de la realidad como un producto de consumo a la merced de un apetito que alimenta la ilusión de la igualdad entre las masas que consumen la baba digital. No levantan al prójimo caído a su lado porque sería levantar la vista de la pantalla. ¡Ay, ay, ay, ay! ¡GAZA no llores! porque el mundo te apoya en contra de los sionistas genocidas e invasores. © de marzo de 2024 David Rodgers GAZA don’t you cry! Floating with the fluttering of the flakes of snow among the breezes of the entering Spring, covering with its cloak the perceived differences with the same indifference of the prevailing society, that distorts the same mirage of reality as a consumer product at the mercy of an appetite that feeds the illusion of equality among the masses that consume the digital drool. They don’t lift the fallen brethren because they’d have to lift their eyes from the screen. Oh, oh, oh, oh! GAZA don’t you cry! because the world is supporting you against the genocidal Zionists and invaders. © March 2024 David Rodgers
To Save a Life: Help Rolla Rescue Her Family from Gaza By Dianne Monroe Photos with this story and on the cover were taken by Salem Medhat, Rolla’s nephew. Rolla Alaydi feels like she’s carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. And, in a sense, that’s because she is. Rolla, who lived in San Antonio from 2001 to 2017, is originally from Gaza. Now she is desperately trying to get her family – 21 people including 13 children – out of Gaza. She’s started a GoFundMe to help her do this. bit.ly/gofundme-rolla It’s a huge undertaking – and every little bit helps. So please contribute as generously and share this information as widely as you feel able to do. There’s a sense of urgency – with the lack of food, clean water, medical care and the ongoing actions of the Israeli army putting the family’s lives in constant peril. Rolla and I became friends when we were both living in San Antonio. It’s a friendship story that was forged within in the multicultural tapestry of San Antonio. At the time I was a writer working with Jump-Start Performance Company, and one of only a few Jewish people in San Antonio willing to speak out publicly in support of justice for Palestine. Rolla had just arrived from Gaza as a young graduate student and went on to earn a PhD in Education from University of Incarnate Word. Rolla was finding her own way to live as a Palestinian in the US. I was curious to learn all I could about her and her family’s experience living under Israeli occupation. Now, about twenty years later, with each of us living in a different part of California, our friendship continues as Rolla tries to save her family and I offer my help. Last November, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) bombed Rolla’s brothers’ home in Gaza City. Since then, her brothers, along with their wives and children, have been forced to flee several times. The family is now split up in varying locations across Rafah – a gruesome decision meant to limit casualties when Israel launches attacks around Rafah. One of her brothers has diabetes and has not been able to get insulin. Another brother has cancer and has not had treatments since the start of the war. The children have seen dead bodies of their young cousins and tell their parents that they do not want to die. Yet somehow this family, along with so many others in Gaza, continues on with incredible, unimaginable resilience. When we were both living in San Antonio, Rolla came to me with an idea she had for a book combining Palestinian recipes with stories about her grandmother and the life lessons her grandmother taught her – that we can all learn from. I showed Rolla some things I knew about writing a memoir – and even wrote the book’s introduction. The book, Norah: From My Grandmother’s Kitchen: Palestinian Recipes and Memories was largely completed in San Antonio but not published until after Rolla is in Gaza. Here’s the link: https://amzn.to/3ID1Zpy It is said in Jewish religious tradition that to save one life is to save the entire world. Rolla is trying to save 21 lives. I am trying to help her. I invite you to join with us. BIO: Dianne Monroe is a writer, photographer and experiential educator. She lived in San Antonio and was a member of Jump-Start Performance Co. from 1997 to 2011. She now lives in Sonoma County, California. Note: At the time of this writing, there is hope for a ceasefire. Yet that does not change the immense needs of this family that has already been through so much. My Family is Trapped in Gaza. Help Me Get Them Out https://amzn.to/3ID1Zpy LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • April 2024 Vol. 37 Issue 3 • 3 Norah: From My Grandmother’s Kitchen: Palestinian Recipes and Memories by Rolla Alaydi was largely completed in San Antonio Rolla Alaydi and her nieces.
Tribute to Aaron Bushnell The airman’s self-immolation is a cry we are all choking back By Iraq Veteran, Mike Prysner The US military is presented as an institution that does protecting; defending; “saving.” But fundamentally, it is an institution of killing. Of mass killing. Throughout our country’s entire history there have been service members who could not grapple with that fact; who were horrified by it, and by their participation in it—of those who rebel against it, in some form or another. Aaron Bushnell was one of those service members. And he is, in his act of desperation and despair, a giant among them. What is courage? I can’t claim to have it myself. I don’t even have the courage to watch the video he streamed of his selfimmolation, even though I know he wanted us to bear witness to it. What more painful end is there? It is a nightmare millenniums old—a fixture in the human imagination as the worst punishment even a God could inflict. But he chose it. So we know Aaron Bushnell had courage. Far, far more than the commanders who rise through the ranks—the ones who take us to war, who sell it on cable news or in the Pentagon press room. What courage is there in pretending, in myth-making? A force for good, for democracy, for human rights, for self-defense… what a lie. A story peddled by cowards who casually direct murder from the safety of command centers, who sell the weapons from their board rooms, or who spin fantasies in Congress. People who are revered as our leaders. Those who will who really only see those qualities in the mirror. We also know that Aaron Bushnell could see. In a deeply racist and propagandized society, he still saw his kinship with people he never met, across the world, with a different language, culture, and religion—a spirit of internationalism that only blooms in white America by first breaking through layers of brick-laid jingoism. Bushnell knew that even though he was not pulling a trigger or firing a missile, being in an IT position, he still helped facilitate killing. Killing for no good reason, but plenty of bad reasons. By the accounts I’ve heard from those who knew him, he struggled for a long time with this, as so many of us do, and tried to make up for it in other areas of his life, involving himself in progressive struggles. I’ve talked to people who regularly saw him at protests against police brutality and for abortion rights, as well as attending anti-war teach-ins, for years. He was known as mild-mannered, genuine, and deep thinking. For at least a year he had committed his time to mutual-aid work. It is a balance many service members today try to strike, as the surge in political consciousness among young people is equally felt among young people in the military. Many become anti-war and even class conscious, like Bushnell did. But then came October 7 and its aftermath. The torment of Israel’s barbarism has been a trying time for all people with a conscience. We have all reeled for months through rage and hopelessness. The anxiety every morning, wondering what new tragedy we will see that continues to defy what we believed were the human limits of evil. There are moments of optimism in this wave of mass awakening, but it has mostly been a time of darkness we have been in— together, but at the same time alone. For Bushnell, that meant also having to put on the uniform of the institution loading the weapons, running the supply missions, providing tactical and strategic assistance to the genocide. Not only that, but one also doing the killing: conducting the air strikes on Yemen, Iraq and Syria against people we have no reason or right to kill. Bushnell saw the plain truth: that he was an accomplice to all that. The truth killed him. The Pentagon brass killed him. Joe Biden and Congress killed him. Since Oct. 7, I have spoken to many service members in the active-duty military, Reserves and National Guard who are repulsed by their association with this, and therefore repulsed by the uniform they wear. There are, for sure, countless more I have never spoken to. I know at least one, an airman like Bushnell, who just filed for Conscientious Objector status over it. So many of them have been in the protests in solidarity with Palestine across the country and found solice. To those of you in uniform, there are many ways out, and it is far easier than you think. You can even do so publicly, in protest, and be more or less protected. You can walk away today. Every service member with a conscience should take those steps now. Much more importantly than your own personal salvation, by doing so you can contribute to the mounting political crisis for Bushnell, who livestreamed the action, said, “I will no longer be complicit in genocide,” before lighting himself on fire and repeatedly shouted “Free Palestine” as he was engulfed in the flames. He was pronounced dead in the hospital later that day. LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • April 2024 Vol. 37 Issue 3 • 4
Washington. The only thing that can stop this genocide is deepening that crisis—what more powerful turn of events than rebellion within the military? Veterans, military families, those with links inside the military have a role too, to encourage those still in to take that stand, and provide them the tools to do so. The anti-war organizing by soldiers and veterans within the military, and their leadership in the broader anti-war movement, had become dominant in 1970-71 and was a decisive factor in stopping the US killing spree in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. It can again today for Gaza. I hope Aaron Bushnell is the last of us to do what he did. Moreso, I hope the fire he lit becomes a turning point for those becoming politically conscious within the ranks. If you were moved by him there is only one way to honor him: to say “no”. Drop your CO packet. Go AWOL. Raise your voice in a way that disrupts the war machine and throws it into chaos. Join us in the streets instead of in despair. I wish Aaron Bushnell would have. But you can for him. Millions will be in the streets against the Rafah invasion on March 2; find a demonstration near you. Vigils will be held across the country for Aaron Bushnell in the coming days, including one I am helping organize in Portland, OR. If you are a member of the US military want expert, confidential advice on how to get out, call the GI Rights Hotline 24/7 at 1-877-447-4487 BIO: Michael D. Prysner is an American socialist political activist and U.S. Army veteran who served in Iraq as a specialist. He is also producer and co-writer for the program, The Empire Files, with his wife Abby Martin. ¡Rest in power, Catriona! Catriona Rueda Esquibel, scholar in the field of Chicana lesbian literature, associate dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University, and contributor to the creation of the department of Race and Resistance Studies, died on February 8 at the age of 58. Luz Calvo, her partner, a professor emeritus of Ethnic Studies at Cal State East Bay confirmed her death saying that Esquibel suffered a hemorrhagic stroke on February 2 at their home in Oakland. After 6 days on life support and in a coma, Luz reassured her that it was time to let go and Catriona died peacefully with Luz constantly at her side. In 2015, Catriona and Luz co-authored “Decolonize Your Diet,” a book with recipes including reflections on modern Mexican and American food intermingled with ancient Mesoamerican cuisine and culture, and the idea of food as medicine. The Esperanza Center was privileged to host them in June of 2017 for a booksigning where they were received with a full house. In her book “With a Machete in Her Hand,” Esquibel analyzed depictions of Chicana lesbians in literature, following a decade of research. The days following Catriona’s passing were filled with multiple tributes from fellow academics, friends, family and the activist community. Grace Yoo, dean of the College of Ethnic Studies noted that Esquibel helped develop two majors: Race and Resistance Studies and Race, Ethnicity, and Health. She also helped create minors in Arab and Muslim Ethnicities & Diasporas Studies, Critical Mixed Race Studies, Critical Pacific Islands and Oceania Studies, and Queer and Trans Ethnic Studies. Immensely loved and respected by all, Catriona’s place in academia and in the hearts of many is irreplaceable. Catriona considered herself a ‘stitcher’. Her Instagram handle was munequerx and she posted her crochet doll creations there. Her dolls were an extension of her activist work and she even donated some to a Palestinian fundraising event among others. An animal lover, Catriona joins her recently deceased cat, Flaco. Luz requests that donations be made to Floripondio End of Life Planning & Services, bit.ly/flori-end-of-life who helped Luz with Catriona’s transition. Our hearts at the Esperanza Center go out to Luz and their family, friends and colleagues. Catriona Rueda Esquibel, siempre presente! LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • April 2024 Vol. 37 Issue 3 • 5
¡Ignacio “Nacho” Estrada, presente! Ignacio “Nacho” Estrada died on January 28, 2023 at the age of 77. Nacho was not a movie star, but he might as well have been — because thousands of children, parents and educators in South Texas, Mexico, Puerto Rico and beyond were entertained by him receiving powerful messages to combat drug use and bullying in the schools. He also urged kids to stay in school and care for their environment. His secret weapon was his skill as a ventriloquist and comedian who used puppets to convey his messages. For more than four decades, Nacho and his mannequin were eagerly awaited at schools, community centers and festivals. The Tortilla Monster and the infamous Maclovio were his most popular puppets. Tortilla Monster was reminiscent of the Cookie Monster with a deep, scary voice, while the dapper Maclovio, was Nacho’s sidekick —always reluctant to come out of his home, a suitcase, saying, “I’m not readyyyy!” As a teenager, Nacho already had a place in his heart for comedy and kindness and was known for being a prankster. He trained to be one of the most famous clowns in pop culture, Ronald McDonald, and was said to be the first Latino Ronald McDonald in the state of Texas. He was born on July 27, 1946, and raised in Edinburg, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley before moving to San Antonio. He was best known for his appearances at school functions in the Alamo City from the 1980s until as recently as the mid-2010s. Nacho was recognized for his work with children and received multiple awards from such groups as the Texas State Teachers Association; Alamo District XX and the Alamo Reading Council, among others. In 1993, Smithsonian Magazine named Estrada Best Ventriloquist in the category of Distant Voice. In 1995, he was named Ventriloquist of the Year at the International Ventriloquist Convention. Though his performances have come to an end, the laughter and positive spirit of Nacho Estrada will continue to resonate with many for years to come. In remembering him, we are reminded of the power of art to connect, inspire, and bring joy. A memorial service for Nacho will take place on Saturday, April 6, and be livestreamed on youTube (bit.ly/ignacio-nacho) at 6 p.m. The Estrada family thanks Nacho and Maclovio’s fans for their support and asks that memories and condolences be sent to: imnotready2024@gmail. com or to The Nacho Estrada Family at P.O. Box 158, Leming, Texas 78050. Our heartfelt condolences to Nacho’s fans and family from the Esperanza board, staff and Buena gente. May the joyful memories he created for us sustain us in our loss. ¡Nacho Estrada, presente! Chicana activist Irma Mireles was born in Martindale, Texas and lived most of her life in San Antonio, Texas. She graduated from Brackenridge High School in downtown San Antonio and was well aware of what the building of Hemisfair Park did to the vibrant Chicano neighborhood that was torn down. As a result, she vowed to never step into “that damn park” and she never did visit the Tower of the Americas. Early on, her father made her aware that “we lived in a city named for Juan Seguin, but we had to get off the sidewalk for a white person and we lived along the Guadalupe River, but we couldn’t go swimming.” These formative memories formed the basis of her activism throughout her life. Her concern for social justice and the political powerlessness of Chicanos prompted her to run for a seat on the San Antonio River Authority (SARA) and she was elected for a six-year term (1977-1982) becoming the first minority person and first woman elected to the SARA Board in fifty years. Irma was involved in many organizations most notably, La Raza Unida Party where she played key roles in the 70s making an impact on statewide elections. As committee chair and founder of the 50th Raza Unida Party Reunion she stated “I’m proud to call myself a Chicana and continue to work for social justice, the rights of immigrants and promoting [the notion] that our vote DOES make a difference.” LULAC, Academia America, the Cesar Chavez Memorial Alliance and AARP were among other groups that she was actively engaged in. In the mid-1990s, while residing in Juneau, Alaska, she served on the State’s Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and testified against the “English Only” bill being considered by the Legislature. Her testimony against the Bill ensured that it never made it out of committee and thus never became law. Her life was celebrated locally on Saturday, January 27th at St. Paul Catholic Church in San Antonio, Texas. Donations to the San Antonio P.E.A.C.E. Initiative at paypal.me/PEACEInitiative were requested in Irma’s honor. Her words today ring truer than ever, “We need to be the change. We need to get out and vote and make the change happen.” The Esperanza Peace & Justice Center board, staff and Buena gente extend our condolences to Irma’s familia, the activist community and her wide circle of friends. May her memory be preserved in San Antonio history. Rest in peace and power! ¡Irma Mireles, presente! Irma Mireles May 31, 1947 - December 9, 2023
EDITOR’S NOTE: The July/August 2010 issue of La Voz de Esperanza reviewed the first Paseo por el Westside that took place in May, 2010. The issue also included reflections by the family of Josie Merla Martin who joined elders at the Casa de Cuentos, 816 S. Colorado to share photos and stories of growing up in the Westside. Her first interaction with other westside elders was an emotional homecoming for Josie who had lived most of her life away from her beloved Westside. The photos and stories of the elders eventually gave rise to projects like En Aquellos Tiempos: Fotohistorias del Westside, the Paseo and soon, the opening of El Museo del Westside. This year the annual Paseo por El Westside takes place on May 4th celebrating 15 years. Josie’s family’s reflections follow: Cathryn Josephina Merla-Watson, (then) 30: As the youngest, I have had the great privilege of learning about my family history through the “Casita” de Cuentos or House of Stories. This history not only bears witness to my own heritage, but also the rich and diverse cultural history of a wider Mexican American community— a community whose vital genealogies have been too often ignored by “official” archives and Texas history books. What I love about San Antonio is how I can walk around downtown or the Westside and literally point to places and things that give definition to my sense of self, my own sense of history. The testimonios of my mother and abuelita reflect what the Casa has meant to us: Note: Catie, Josie’s granddaughter is now an associate professor at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in McAllen with a focus in areas of Latinx literary and cultural studies and gender and critical sexuality studies, among others. Cynthia Eloisa Spielman, (then) 54: So much of who we are is rooted in places. I can show you the house in which my mother was born, Roy’s Ice House, that would play the “crazy lullaby” we would listen to at night. I can sit in what is left of the plaza where we would sit with my grandmother and eat raspas in the hot evening watching the fountain. It is the same with our stories. We are defined by our memories. But, where are they? What book do we check out of the library or buy at the bookstore? What school textbook do we have that tells us our own longings, our fears, our anger, our love, our culture, our historias? At the Casa de Cuentos through the recording of oral histories and through the picture banners of En Aquellos Tiempos we tell of our past and we shape our future. ¶ For us, the Casa is an intersection of personal relationships and feelings and the larger politics of space, history, and community. These stories are not only about preserving the past but about articulating our communities now, and in the future. Narrative as urban planning challenges us to listen for what is important, for what is envisioned for a community instead of the rigid city planning techniques imposed on us now. The important work of documenting history, preserving it digitally, as living testimonies, is vital to the future of our community. The part of the West Side my mother was raised in, the part I could have come home to, has been destroyed by the City. It is even more important now to work and fight to preserve what we have left of the West Side community: Note: Cynthia is now a grandmother, herself, and continues to work as a community and neighborhood activist. Josephina Merla Martin, (then) 79: I have lived to see the community I love so much destroyed as our history, memories, and culture has been cast away cruelly and disrespectfully by “urban renewal.” It seems that now when you watch the news or read the papers the bad things that happen in the West Side are magnified not always talking about the love and pride and closeness of its people. There are wonderful things that happen in this part of town and many of us share these stories with our children and grandchildren at the Casa de Cuentos. Where else can people of all ages, but especially the older generation like myself that have so many memories and stories to tell come together? Stories of lost people and places, stories of discrimination and violence, funny stories of how we use to eat street tar, stories of herbal medicines—of our grandmothers, stories of our neighborhoods. Our hope is that today’s generations and generations to come will know and feel the pride there is in being from this very important historical and vital part of the city: The West Side. Many of the storytellers still live in the West Side and many, like me had to leave, but we always come back. It is amazing that I have sat across from someone that went to the same schools that I or my siblings went to 75 or more years ago. I wish we had more time here to tell you some of these stories but you can always join us at La Casita lovingly kept alive by the Buena Gente of the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center now on the 2nd Saturday of every month at ten in the morning. Call us at 210.2280201 to find out more! Note: Josie, along with dear friend, Isabel Sánchez (both now deceased) were inspired to start an elder group called the Corazones of the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center to continue collecting photos and stories of Westside life. Her stories and other Corazones’ stories have been preserved in print, photos and song in the book, Still Here, Homenaje al Westside de San Antonio available at the Esperanza. 15th Anniversary of Paseo por El Westside LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • April 2024 Vol. 37 Issue 3 • 7
Paseo por El WestsidAurora Olguin served up raspas while her husband and daughter got in on the fun. Guadalupe Olguin sliced up watermelons at the first Paseo in 2010 and participated in many a Paseo until he passed recently, in 2024. Maricela Olguin bites into a slice of the watermelon that her father masterfully cut at the first Paseo. LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • April 2024 Vol. 37 Issue 3 • 8 Josie Merla Martin enjoyed many a Paseo with her family until her passing in 2023. Antonia Castañeda, PhD, took on the role of escribana encouraging folks to write letters. Jacinto Madrigal, a yerbero, spoke about his plants and their healing qualities at multiple Paseos since 2010. As part of the neighborhood walking tour in 2010, Chialfredo Forastello in his 90s, spoke in front of his historic home. He passed shortly after.
de: Hace Quince Años Paseo por el Westside, which commemorates National Historic Preservation Month, first took place on Saturday, May 22, 2010 at the Rinconcito de Esperanza located on the corner of Colorado St. and Guadalupe St. in the Westside of San Antonio. The event included walking tours of the Westside including the “pink building” on Guadalupe St. that was saved from demolition and is now remodeled. The cultural heritage and history of the Westside was highlighted with an exchange of plantitas with noted yerbero, Jacinto Madrigal; a comida of old style enchiladas; raspas scraped off of a block of ice with natural fruit syrups; the grinding of corn on metates and the washing of clothes on washboards. MujerArtes, Esperanza’s clay cooperative (now housed in a new building) was present and scribes brought back the art of writing letters. Música with Eva Ybarra, Rita Vidaurri and Los Músicos livened up the backyard of the Casa de Cuentos as did El Pachuco telling bilingual jokes while 82-year-old Doña Ester, an original maromera of La Carpa García shared dichos, chistes and recuerdos. Children’s activities included jump rope, paddle ball, marbles, trompos and walking stilts. Fifteen years later, it’s 2024 and many of our buena gente who were there in 2010 have passed. We miss them dearly. This year, we celebrate a soft opening of the new Museo del Westside and much more! Join us on May 4th for the 15th annual Paseo por El Westside. Imelda Obledo DeLeón (left) and Angie Merla prepped the homemade enchildadas at the first Paseo and continued as buena gente. Angie passed in 2021. Araceli Herrera, buena gente, demonstrated the use of the metate grinding corn as Cynthia Spielman observed along with Araceli’s grandson. Isabel and Enrique Sánchez enjoyed dancing at the first Paseo and thereafter donating their time and talents each year until their respective deaths in 2021 and 2023. LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • April 2024 Vol. 37 Issue 3 • 9 Rita Vidaurri, La Calandria, celebrated her birthday at the first Paseo wowing the crowd with her magnificent voice . She passed in 2019. Imelda Arismendez, coordinator of MujerArtes, was involved with the first Paseo and thereafter until her passing in 2017. Left: Rodney Garza, El Pachuco, shared bilingual jokes and stories at the first Paseo. Below: Esther G. Robinson, original member of the Carpa García, performed for the crowd in 2010. Sadly, she passed in 2011. Eve Ybarra, La Reina del Acordeón, was featured along with her conjunto band at the first Paseo.
Our Homes, Our Futures: 2024 Right to the City All Member Assembly By Kayla Miranda The sound of the zipper closing my suitcase shut meant that it was time for me to go. Ready or not, here I come. All the months of planning came down to this. I had mixed emotions as I drove to the airport, so many hopes, so many dreams and so many concerns. It’s not the first time I’ve left town, it certainly won’t be the last. There is always a sense of sadness when I have to leave my kids and my home. But also determination. In order to bring about the change we truly need, we must work together in a common cause. Hope for the future begins with us in the here and now. New Orleans is not a new scene for me. I lived there for two years following Katrina. We had a construction business and that was the place to be. Of course back then, a lot of the tourist attractions were not open. It was a very different sight. Our first stop was the French Quarter, for some beignets. One of the things I love about New Orleans is how so many streets fill up with local artists and vendors. I wish San Antonio would allow more free markets. Then it was back to the hotel for prep. The next day would begin our week-long conference, I wanted to be prepared. Our conference used the Whova app. There were many mixed reviews. Some people found it hard to navigate, others loved it. I found it useful, but not entirely inclusive. Not everyone is tech savvy. I believe some could have benefited from training on the app throughout. I also found that those using the app constantly were in better positions as the Wellness sessions were first come first serve sign up in the app. I had signed up for a massage session that mysteriously disappeared and never got the opportunity to sign up for another. But for those able to, Wellness sessions were limited but available all week. Massage, reiki, community acupuncture, tarot reading and counseling services were provided free of charge to attendees. It is vital for community workers to practice self-care because burnout is a very real issue. Our schedule was there, live viewing of some of the sessions which was really helpful for those who preferred not to be in the ballroom. A Children’s Assembly was available for those traveling with their children. Right to the City took every precaution for the health and wellness of all attendees, from strict covid procedures to ensuring that everyone felt comfortable and able to participate in whatever way they needed on an individual basis. There were even fidget toys on all the tables. Those always help me with anxiety. It was truly well thought out and executed. There was a Q&A section, meet up threads, conversation groups with so many topics. We were able to share contact information and upload slides for our presentations. Overall, I feel pretty good about the app. One of the unfortunate occurrences of this assembly was the technical issues with interpretation equipment. It was planned that all members would have a set, so that live interpretation would be available and seamless. But it is one of those things that takes trial and error. Interpretation was provided, but we needed to take turns. I had planned on presenting Esperanza entirely in Spanish, so all the English and Cantonese speakers would have worn the equipment. It worked out that we took turns on the microphone instead. It did not affect the workshops other than leaving less time for questions. I am proud to say that our Esperanza Cultural Arts and Grassroots Organizing sessions were full of inquisitive people with amazing stories of their own. We did two sessions this conference, both went a little over time and had a full room. Other workshops available were Housing and Climate Justice, Data Strategy for Power Building, Base Building 101, Generative Conflict (resolution), Not an Afterthought: Strategic Infrastructure Praxis to Win, Corporate Target Campaign, Everyone is An Artist: Sign and Banner making, Right to the City Integrated Capital Fund and Collective Songwriting. Attendees were able to choose two workshops to attend. Another highlight of the week was our hosting member Jane Place. There were six options for members: NOLA(New Orleans, Louisiana) Renter’s Bill of Rights Canvassing, Jane Place Community Land Trust Tour, Puppetry 101 Workshop and New Orleans Cultural Tour, Indigenous Peoples History Walking Tour, Geographies of Black Displacement Walking Tour, Black Historical Perspectives in New Orleans bus tour. It is always so amazing seeing and participating in the work of other organizations. As an organizer, I tend to jump right into the next step or next project. I often am too caught up in the work to notice all the wins. It’s in moments like these, speaking about our work, talking with other organizers who see what we don’t that we are reminded to take LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • April 2024 Vol. 37 Issue 3 • 10 2024 Right to the City Member Assembly conference participants. At left the delegation from San Antonio, Texas.
a moment to celebrate. It is an energizing experience. It can be done, and we WILL do it. The last two days of the conference were spent on moving forward. Committees presented the work we have been doing, what we would like to work on moving forward and of course, our elections for leadership. I am proud to say that I was nominated and elected. There were internal items we voted on that are not ready to put out in this article but I am happy to say, we had good discussions on. This is the first time we have all been in the room together, many new groups coming in and I feel that we made great progress. The real test will be in the time to come. Will we continue to have these conversations, will we have more opportunities such as organizer exchanges and translocal visits not just within our own hubs but nationally? And will Public Housing take its place at the front of housing conversations? For the Esperanza community, two out of the three attendees are public housing tenants and the third is a Section 8 voucher tenant. Those impacted should always lead. My favorite part of the assembly was not planned. It was the in-between times, when we had breaks or were done for the day. I know that I found my kind of people because the conversations didn’t stop in the ballroom. We sought out spots all over the hotel, no matter where you walked you came across small groups deep in conversation. These are the interactions that I came for. Unscripted, unprepared raw conversations that really inspired me. I have a renewed purpose. That is what is so special about these types of meetings. The chance to build relationships unhindered by distance. The connecting of minds, spirits into a massive collective power. We can move mountains. We can change perspectives. We will unite in our shared purpose. Housing is a Human Right. And we will demand and defend that right until it is universally acknowledged and practiced. It was bittersweet to zip up my suitcase once more. On the one hand, I couldn’t wait to get home. I missed my kids, I missed my bed and I definitely needed a home-cooked meal. But it was also sad to say goodbye. It’s indescribable, the feeling of being surrounded by like-minded people. It’s something we don’t do enough. The ideas flow effortlessly when you get into that vibe with people. I am so grateful for the opportunity. But I was so happy when I finally crossed the Guadalupe Bridge to my beautiful westside. Every time I come back it’s like a weight is lifted off my shoulders and my soul knows peace once more. BIO: Kayla Miranda, a housing justice advocate organizing in the Westside of San Antonio, resides at the Alazan/Apache Courts with her family. Get involved: [email protected] [email protected] For more information on Right to the City or Homes for All https://www.righttothecity.org/ homes-for-all For more information on Jane Place https://jpnsi.org LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • April 2024 Vol. 37 Issue 3 • 11 Puppetry 101 Workshop Hosting member Jane Place Community Land Trust Tour Indigenous Peoples History Walking Tour
How Hearst’s ‘Weather Wonks’ Obscure the Climate Crisis 2 Hearst Newspapers’ ‘science-informed’ weather reporting initiative promised to help keep readers safe when it lifted off in 2023. But the ‘Texas Weather Wonks’ have entirely ignored the primary driver of recent extreme heat—human fossil-fueled industry. By Greg Harman Deceleration News The planet is on fire. Fossil fuels are the torch. People are dying from the heat. And much worse is on the way unless rapid, concerted action is taken to reduce global emissions at the root of the crisis. In terms of weather stories, there is none bigger than the impact of the climate crisis driving extreme weather events around the planet. That is the consistent message of the nation’s leading climate scientists and federal agencies. Given that, there’s an expectation of our journalists and editors to get this story right so that readers can safeguard their lives and their collective future—including providing a habitable Earth for the generations to follow. “If you’re talking about high temperatures today without talking about climate change’s contribution, that’s journalistic malpractice,” Texas A&M climate scientist Andrew Dessler told Deceleration. Yet readers in greater San Antonio and Houston would be hard-pressed to find any of these startling but simple facts in eight months of offerings from a new Hearst Newspapers initiative whose stated mission is to provide actionable intelligence about weather events to help keep readers safe. The “Texas Weather Wonks,” launched in the unprecedented summer heat of 2023 that claimed hundreds of lives around the state, delivering weather updates multiple times every week to readers of the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. Their trained meteorologists tally over and again the extreme heat records falling, offering shortand medium-range forecasts, purport to point to the key causes of that heat—all while studiously ignoring the climate science and published studies pointing us back to industry’s polluting behaviors as the primary driver of all this extra heat. Announcing 2023 as the hottest year on record, NASA officials were unequivocal: “Scientific observations and analyses … have shown this warming has been driven primarily by human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.” That remains true today, a NOAA spokesperson confirmed, as the explanation for January ranking as the hottest January on record and this February the hottest February ever measured on the planet. So how is it that The Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News, with promises to bring “science-focused” journalism to their readers, have failed for eight months to accurately describe the main driver of all of this heat? The Express-News meteorologist wrote about February’s heat with a headline asking: “Should we be worried?” With no mention of climate change, fossil fuels, or the Earth’s dangerous trajectory, Anthony Franze concluded, “While it may seem a bit early for such temperatures, nothing is actually wrong.” And our hottest summer ever? LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • April 2024 Vol. 37 Issue 3 • 12 Texas A&M climate scientist, Andrew Dessler Climate Central graphics used at KBTCX Climate Central graphics used at KBTCX
The World Weather Attribution Project dropped a 21-page paper (and guide for journalists) that explained how climate change contributed to the extreme temperatures of July 2023 in North America, China, and Europe. They wrote that Texas’s extreme heat in July 2023 would have been “virtually impossible … if humans had not warmed the planet by burning fossil fuels.” Recall that Climate Central, a nonprofit news organization staffed by both meteorologists and science journalists, found in September of 2023 that in the 17 Texas cities researched, every one experienced extreme heat caused by global warming for at least half the summer that had been made at least two times more likely by human-caused warming. How did the Wonks report it? They delivered readers a thorough cataloguing of temperature records falling across the state. What was behind those temps? No comment. Research by Yale Climate Connections found in 2022 a growing number of meteorologists integrating the climate message into their work. It probably helps that it’s impossible to accurately account for today’s weather without it. As Jeff Berardelli, chief meteorologist and climate specialist working at WFLA in Tampa Bay, Florida, has said: “We’re trying to save the world. I mean, that’s essentially what we’re doing by educating people on climate change.” He’s joined in that mission by Chief Meteorologist Shel Winkley at KBTCX in College Station, Texas, who rightly attributed the scorching 2023 summer to “human-induced climate change.” It’s a simple and scary fact that the Wonks have refused to share with their readers. Deceleration passed along our key findings with editors at both the Houston Chronicle and the Express-News. We invited them to correct us if they took issue with our key findings. They chose not to respond. All we can think is that if Hearst Newspapers is serious about protecting the communities they serve from extreme weather events (and wish to avoid the “malpractice” tag hanging out there or just write weather science accurately) they need to seriously reassess their mission and performance in covering what has been described by perhaps the world’s most famous naturalist as “the biggest threat to security that modern humans have ever faced.” The world in all its utter beauty needs them to do better. BIO: Greg Harman is founder & editor of Deceleration.news, an online journal of environmental justice based in San Antonio, Texas. https://bit.ly/weather-wonks LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • April 2024 Vol. 37 Issue 3 • 13 Land & Ocean Temperature Percentiles Jan–Dec 2023 Chief Meteorologist Shel Winkley at KBTCX in College Station, Texas The mark of human-induced climate change on recent extreme heat in Mexico and the southern U.S. Graphic: Climate Central
Is ‘Cultural Erasure’ Only Wrong When Our Enemies Do It? While I certainly join U.S. State Department Undersecretary Uzra Zeya in condemning all state-inflicted murder and ethnocide, I also condemn her ironic, genocidal omissions. By Robert C. Koehler of Common Dreams Oh Lord, kumbaya... As I absorb the daily news of war and global devastation, I sing these words to myself— quietly, yes, secretly, lest I ignite instant flash-bang sarcasm from the surrounding world. What next? A flower in a rifle barrel? Sarcasm spits in the face of idealism—a.k.a., “feelgood-ism”—and life goes on. Any questions? Sure, war is hell and all that, especially when the bad guys wage it, but sitting around the campfire and lamenting musically for global niceness is a sin against our military budget. Don’t be silly. We need to protect ourselves. “The most defiant act of resistance is to sing.” At least that seems to be the accepted consensus. And the word “kumbaya”—a cry for God and the relief of suffering—simply equals naivete. But here’s the problem, as I’m coming to see it: Sarcasm— which sees itself as realism mixed with caustic humor—can easily wind up being nothing more than a defense of war... a defense of the worst of who we are. Oh Lord, kumbaya. All of which brings me back to Palestine, where what’s happening is humanity’s darkness—colonial conquest, theft of land, blatant murder and evisceration of a culture—in full view of the world. As IDF soldiers dance and laugh on their cellphone videos while they take part in the devastation of Gaza, the whole enterprise degenerates into armed sarcasm. “What’s happening in Gaza is a multi-layered act that extends far beyond the physical destruction of artifacts or the killing of individuals,” according to Mariam Shah, writing at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “These actions are part of broader destructive processes that undermine a community’s heritage, identity, and existence— with profound symbolic and psychological implications for Palestinians not only in Gaza but globally...” “This destruction, both physical and symbolic, serves a larger political agenda—the erasure of Palestinian identity and collective memory, which may amount to cultural genocide.” Another term for this is “ethnocide,” coined, ironically, by Jewish exile from Poland Raphael Lemkin in 1944 (who also coined the word “genocide”). It’s hardly something new, but every instance of it births anew the soul-deep question: why? Perhaps even more crucially, it also births the follow-up question: What’s the alternative? Sociocultural entities encounter one another and see only an enormous wall of differences: in language, in tradition, in certainties of all sorts. The automatic response tends not to be, uh... curiosity, a desire to understand and learn. The more likely response is fear, which can easily blossom into violence, especially if need is also part of the context of their meeting: a need (or desire) for the land that other culture occupies. Welcome to human history! I write these words as a citizen of the United States of Irony. A few months ago—well into the Israeli assault on Gaza, with U.S. support and weaponry—U.S. State Department Undersecretary Uzra Zeya spoke about “cultural erasure” at a conference in Prague. “We are at a critical juncture in history,” she said, “where the very fabric of many unique religious and cultural identities is being threatened by authoritarian regimes and extremist groups around the world.” Oh Lord, kumbaya. She proceeded to condemn Russia, China, and ISIS in Iraq for inflicting hell and ethnocide on vulnerable cultures in their domain. China is “systematically dismantling” the identities and traditions of the Tibetan and Uyghur communities, and has destroyed thousands of mosques and sacred sites. Russia, of course, “has attempted to destroy Ukraine’s distinct cultural heritage.” And ISIS has “inflicted unimaginable suffering on the Yazidi community as part of its genocide. ISIS fighters destroyed Yazidi shrines and massacred thousands...” She then declared: “The United States will continue to speak clearly and forcefully against attempts to erase the culture and unique identities of vulnerable communities, and we will back up our words with our actions.” By arming Israel? By separating migrant families at our southern border? By lamenting over the threat of “white replacement” and (maybe) re-electing Donald Trump president? By ignoring our own history? While I certainly join Zeya in condemning all state-inflicted murder and ethnocide, I also condemn her ironic, genocidal omissions. It’s not just the country’s declared enemies—the bad guys—who do this. We stole the continent, corralled the Indigenous occupants onto “reservations,” then decided to steal their children and turn them into white people via legally enforced boarding schools, a project known as “kill the Indian in him and save the man.” “Some 100,000 Native Americans were forced to attend these schools, forbidden to speak Native languages, made to renounce Native beliefs, and forced to abandon their Native American identities, including their names,” according to the Equal Justice Initiative. “Many children were leased out to white families as indentured servants.” “Parents who resisted their children’s removal to boarding schools were imprisoned and had their children forcibly taken from them... ” Have we transcended this history? Are we better people now? All I can do in this moment is reach for the spirit of hope... and kumbaya. In a remarkable Al-Jazeera interview, three Palestinians talked about their culture—their art and poetry, theater and song—and how not only is it being bombed and demolished, it’s standing directly against the ethnocide, not simply resisting but transcending it. These are the words of Serena Rasoul, one of the interviewees: “The most defiant act of resistance is to sing... to one another, to God, to the land. You can level our buildings but you can’t destroy our spirits. The majority of Palestinian folk songs are around joy and love. That’s who we are.” BIO: Robert Koehler, a widower and single parent, is an award-winning, Chicago-based journalist and nationally syndicated writer. He explores both conditions at great depth in his book, “Courage Grows Strong at the Wound” (2016). Contact him at commonwonders.com. Note: Common Dreams work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely. LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • April 2024 Vol. 37 Issue 3 • 14 The Israeli military used hundreds of mines to blow up Israa University in Gaza on January 17, 2024. (Photo: Screengrab)
Check individual websites, FB and other social media for information on community meetings previously listed in La Voz. For meetings and events scheduled at the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center check: www. esperanzacenter.org or call 210.228.0201. Anuncios April, 2024 ¡Guadalupe S. Olguin, presente! Guadalupe S Olguin passed away peacefully on iday, March 1, 2024, Frat his home in San Antonio, TX, in the presence of his beloved wife of 57 years, Aurora, and his children and grandchildren. Born in 1945, he grew up at the St. Peter / St. Joseph Children’s Home in San Antonio. At 16 years old, he was given an ultimatum to either join the military, or face going to the Gainesville Home for Boys. With his older brother’s credentials, he decided to join the US Army as a Pathfinder in the 82nd Airborne division. During his tour in Vietnam he was a POW and was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star among other military honors. Guadalupe was devoted to his wife, his family and to his community volunteering at community cultural centers with his wife including San Anto Cultural Arts, Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, and the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. Aurora and Guadalupe loved dancing, especially at the Guadalupe’s Conjunto Festival with their favorite group, Los Fantasmas del Valle. Guadalupe’s yearly appearances as Santa Claus at nursing homes, orphanages and even at Westside streets with treats and gifts for all exemplified his devotion to his community. The laughter and joy from children and elders was reward enough for him to continue the tradition each year until he could no longer do so. Guadalupe leaves his family and friends with beautiful memories and will truly be missed by all those who loved him. The Esperanza staff, board and Buena gente offer heartfelt condolences to all who were touched by the life of this loving man. ¡Guadalupe S. Olguin, presente! Guadalupe with daughter Maricela and wife, Aurora. Sandra Cisneros Keeping San Antonio Lamé: My Life Among los Artistas Trinity University is proud to welcome Sandra Cisneros as the 2024 Madrid Lecturer. Join us to hear about her life in San Antonio and beyond. The Madrid Lecture Series celebrates the rich and varied artistic works of Latinx artists from across the country. Book signing to follow. Free & open to the public - Register today! Thurs, April 11, 7 p.m. | Laurie Auditorium Remember your tax deductible gifts Your donation supports the Esperanza! go to: www.esperanzacenter.org/Donate or send check to: Esperanza Peace & Justice Center 922 San Pedro Ave • SA, TX 78212 Become a Monthly Donor! Second Saturday Convivio Gather your photos from the Westside (1880-1960) and bring them to La Casa de Cuentos every 2nd Sat. at 10 am for scanning and story telling. Casa de Cuentos • 816 S. Colorado St. Call 210.228.0201 for more info LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • April 2024 Vol. 37 Issue 3 • 15 or call 210-228-0201 to donate Your donation helps us advocate for you. Support the Esperanza www.esperanzacenter.org/donate
Paseo Por El Westside 2024 May 5 • 9am to 3pm 816 S. Colorado St. San Antonio TX 78207 Eats & Drinks • Limpias • Children’s Activities • Plantas Medicinales • Teatro/Poetry/Cuentos • Demonstrations • Música y Canto • Westside Walking Tours • Preservation of Family Documents • Photo Scanning • Oral Histories • Juegos Infantiles • Sneak Peak of the Museo del Westside • Community Information Booths Volunteer for Paseo as Buena Gente! Call 210-228-0201 Rhythms of Resilience: How Tejanas reshaped the landscape of Mexican American music —with special focus on Tejana musicians, Patsy Torres’ and Shelly Lares’ roles in both preserving and innovating Mexican American musical heritage. Presentation by Dr. Rachel Yvonne Cruz UTSA Professor of Mexican American Studies/Music Specialist April 16, 2024 • 6:30-8:30pm Esperanza Peace & Justice Center Plus! Performance from Dr. Cruz accompanied by Mariachi Las Valquirias Dr. Rachel Yvonne Cruz Torres Lares MujerArtes Paseo por El Westide Sale May 4th • 9am to 3pm @ 816 S. Colorado St. Haven’t opened La Voz in a while? Prefer to read it online? Wrong address? TO CANCEL A SUBSCRIPTIONEMAIL [email protected] CALL: 210.228.0201 Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID San Antonio, TX Permit #332 LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • April 2024 Vol. 37 Issue 3 • ESPERANZA PEACE & JUSTICE CENTER 922 San Pedro San Antonio TX 78212 210.228.0201 • www.esperanzacenter.org