La Voz - March 2022

March 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 2 San Antonio, Tejas

from masking . . . to zooming from home

to cautiously back at the Esperanza!

Limited seating concert in March, see back page

La Voz de LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 2• Pictured at left are Tom Keene, recently deceased,
Esperanza who holds the 82 MURDERED TORILES cross—next
to Graciela Sánchez who holds the 113 MURDERED
March 2022 CERRO PANDO cross—and an unidentified woman
Vol. 35 Issue 2 who holds the 393 MURDERED MOZOTE cross.
What these crosses refer to are the massacres that oc-
Editor: Gloria A. Ramírez curred on December, 1981 in three of several villages
Design: Elizandro Carrington of El Salvador during the brutal Salvadoran Civil War.
Soldiers were ordered to torture and murder men,
Contributors women and children that were merely poor villagers
living in the area and who were not involved in the
Daniel Lince, Fabian Longoria, Kayla Miranda, war. This was one of many tragic events that ocurred
Kaitlin Popielarz, Sharyll Soto Teneyuca, at the time. One of the most famous crimes of the time
Mireya Villalpando, Yoly Zentella that began to turn the tide was the March 24, 1980
assassination of Bishop Oscar Romero, Archbishop
La Voz Mail Collective of San Salvador as he conducted mass. Known as the
“bishop of the poor” for his work defending the Sal-
...is sheltering at home due to COVID-19 but vadoran people, he had called for international intervention to protect those being killed by
will return when it is safe. Extra funds are being governmental forces. In the 80s and into the 90s, San Antonio was known for its solidarity
work in Central America, specifically in Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. When the
raised to pay for the folding of La Voz. Esperanza Peace and Justice Center opened its doors in 1987 at 1305 N. Flores, the build-
ing we were housed in had offices or offered meeting space to groups working on issues of
Esperanza Director solidarity with Latin American countries: Latin American Assistance (LAA), Nicaragua Net-
work, Chicanos Against the Military in Latin America (CAMILA) and CRISPAZ (Christians
Graciela I. Sánchez for Peace in El Salvador) among others. Groups who worked with immigrants and refugees
like the Refugee Aid Project were also housed or met there. Those years were filled with
Esperanza Staff protests and demonstrations demanding investigation into the role the U.S. played in Latin
American countries. Forty years later, in 2022, we must revisit that time period before all of
Elizandro Carrington, Kayla Miranda, our elder statesmen and activists, like Tom Keene, pass from this earth. Antonio Cabral, who
Paul Plouf, Natalie Rodríguez, René Saenz, was part of CAMILA remembered Tom saying, “It hurts me deeply that Tom is gone. He and
Imane Saliba, Susana Segura, Amelia Valdez, I went back many years. Mainly the Peace actions dating back years. Another loss of a good
human. Losing too many warriors lately. Most people didn’t know about their sacrifices for
Rosa Vega a better world. That’s the way they wanted it.” Let us remember Tom and those that have
passed on as peace warriors. Write their stories and send them to [email protected]
Conjunto de Nepantleras —Gloria A.Ramírez, editor
—Esperanza Board of Directors—
Correction!
Richard Aguilar, Norma Cantú, Brent Floyd,
Rachel Jennings, Amy Kastely, Jan Olsen, The February 2022 issue of La Voz fea-
Ana Lucía Ramírez, Gloria A. Ramírez, tured an article by Maria A.De la Cruz,
Rudy Rosales, Lilliana Saldaña, Nadine Saliba, Mi Nina: The woman who shaped my
life, Dolores Solis. Page (7) of the article
Graciela I. Sánchez, Lillian Stevens includes a photo that incorrectly identi-
fied the pictured individuals as Maria
• We advocate for a wide variety of social, and her nina. At right is an actual photo
economic & environmental justice issues. of Maria A. De la Cruz as a child at her
first communion with her mother, Maria
• Opinions expressed in La Voz are not Angélica De la Cruz (left) and her nina,
necessarily those of the Esperanza Center. Dolores Solis.

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Inquiries/Articles can be sent to: VOZ VISION STATEMENT: La Voz de Esperanza speaks for many individual, progressive voices who are
[email protected] 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
Articles due by the 8th of each month 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
Policy Statements 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
* We ask that articles be visionary, progressive, dignity of all people will result in profound change for the seven generations to come.
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

2 publication. Letters with intent to slander
individuals or groups will not be published.

Thomas Ralph Keene

February 12, 1935 – January 29, 2022

Tom Keene, friend and ally of the Justice and Peace Commission and a founding member and of-

Esperanza, ended his earthly journey ficer of the San Antonio Community Radio Corporation, a parent

at age 86 as the new year was complet- organization of Texas Public Radio and station KSTX.

ing its first month. A teacher, poet and From 1981-1986 he served as coordinator for Latin America

activist who put roots down in San An- Assistance (LAA) which The San Antonio Light described as

tonio in 1964, Tom contributed poetry the city’s “premier” advocacy organization for Central Ameri-
regularly to the Esperanza’s monthly can issues. LAA was part of the original Esperanza/Interchange
news journal, La Voz de Esperanza,
Network in the 80s at 1305 N. Flores, the original home of the
and was often seen at rallies, protests Esperanza. Besides Tom’s activism in solidarity work related to
and cultural events of the Esperanza as Central America and Cuba, he was ardent about labor issues and
well as other
Poetry Reading at the Esperanza community To Be One With All staunchly anti-war having completed his
military duty as a paratrooper in the 82nd
venues through the years.
His poems graced the pages of local What could that be? Airborne Division during the Korean
To see the baby in her mother’s arms War. In the 1990s, he presented a weekly
publications like Huehuetitlán Journal and say to ourselves, social commentary for San Antonio’s
and El Placazo. They also appeared in that is me? Catholic Television speaking on a wide
The Texas Observer, Voices de la Luna, variety of issues.
and Latinamerica Press in Perú as To look into the faces at the old folks home
well as the National Catholic Reporter, and tell ourselves Tom retired as a professor of Reli-
San Antonio Express-News, Harmony that is me? gious Studies Emeritus at Our Lady of
magazine and The Palo Alto Review. His the Lake University after serving as pro-
anthologies included Poets of the Springs To read names on cemetery markers fessor and assistant to the Dean at OLLU.
and Poets of the River (audiotape), and and find ourselves feeling He continued to be active with multiple
more recently Sensing Transcendence that is me? community groups and was involved in
and Flowers for Lovemakers, Peace- many forums related to themes of peace
builders and Godseekers (2008). Lati- Something within me and social justice.
tudes Press published his first book of feels it is taking wing.
poems, The Waters of Becoming, in 1989. Tom’s generosity of spirit, his com-
—Tom Keene, 2016 passion and his ardent belief in the con-

In 2008 the Texas Society of Poets nection of all living and non-living be- LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 2•

awarded him the $400 Therese Lindsey Prize in their annual ings will continue to be accessible to all through his poetry that

contest. He also won first prize in the internationally judged 4th can be accessed at his website: http://www.tomkeenesmuse.com/
There, his poems are archived for us in a website he described
annual Dancing with Words Poetry Contest.
as being for “lovemak-
Tom Keene, the
ers, peacebuilders and
scholar, held graduate
godseekers…”
degrees in Theology, Ap-
The Esperanza Center
plied Theology, and Psy-

chology. He worked as staff, board and Buena

a community organizer, gente are saddened by-

advocate for the handi- Tom’s passing and extend

capped, freelance writer, our sincere condolences

university professor, upon his passing to

consultant on nonvio- his family, friends and

lence for the Archdiocese especially to his wife,

of San Antonio, and as a Marilyn. A celebration

therapist for at-risk chil- of Tom’s life is being

dren and their families planned and will be an-

in the Alazan-Apache nounced on Esperanza’s

Courts for the San website, www.esperan-
Antonio School District.
He was also a founding Voces Cósmicas, poets who gathered at Deco Pizza, was one of many groups Tom was part of zacenter.org
member of the San thru the years. He stands in the center with Barbara Renaud González to his left who remembered
Antonio Archdiocesan Tom “when he stood up at an anti-war press conference at the Esperanza with Antonio Cabral and Tom Keene, siem-
myself and talked clearly and cogently about the government’s history of lying to us, as happened
with Vietnam.” She added, “What a great man!” Photo Credit: Fernando Esteban Flores per presente! Tom Keene,

rest in power! 3

A poet’s farewell

Our recently departed, Tom Keene, collected his We Farm Workers Homeless
poems for“Lovemakers, Peacebuilders and Godseek-
ers”in a website that will forever be available to We are the ones who connect you to the seeds, We, with next to nothing,
readers. com A sample of his thoughts in poetry attending them through to harvest: no place to sleep in safety,
follows below. Read more of his poems at: www. Cane cutters, no breakfast on waking,
tomkeenesmuse. Rest in peace and power, Tom. fruit pickers, no power over things,
planters, find one thing that matters:
Give me a teacher weed pullers, others like us.
packers.
Give me a teacher who gives a damn, Others who share the
needs to know more than my name, Picture us: occasional bottle of wine
strains for the song I have not sung, Our over and over bending of backs, to ward off the cold,
follows me in my ennui our gallons of sweat, to partner with for protection,
to find my fishing hole. our callusing of hands, to share our common trust
our faces ridden with exhaustion, in survival for now.
Give me a teacher who gives a damn, our eyes hungry for rest.
seduces, surprises, Out of our nothing we share
spades the soil of me, Consider how only with us can be: and we discover among ourselves
fertilizes feelings for what is fair, Your cities, the power that comes in feeling
with anger at what is not, hospitals, one another’s hungry hopes.
hope for solutions, schools,
appetite for application. sewers June 23, 2016
and highways.
Give me a teacher who gives a damn, The pines
who tenders truth and trust Imagine, how with every breakfast bite,
more than rules and roles, you might grasp the worth of the work we do Listen to still pines,
favors sticky freedoms and resolve to pay us what our work is worth.
over cool controls, Their remembering embrace,
who risks career and cares December 12, 2017 
to take a stand for students, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Of their friend, the wind.
is not unknown to laugh.
LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 2• April 20, 2001
I can build you a future in what I am.
when you give me a teacher who gives
a damn.

July 1986 (appeared in
La Voz Oct. 2016)

4

San Antonio Celebrates

84th Anniversary of
Pecan Shellers Strike

On Sunday afternoon, Janu- previously participated in a

ary 30, 2022 Cassiano Park, in separate strike on Buena Vista

San Antonio’s westside, served St. waged by cigar workers—an

as the backdrop for a celebra- activity for which she was ar-

tion of the 84th anniversary of rested—in 1933 when she was

the 1938 Pecan Sheller’s Strike only 16. She wasn’t a pecan

led by the the young American sheller—she was a concerned

hero, Emma Tenayuca. At the citizen known for speaking

gathering initiated by District 5 out with a gift for organizing

Councilperson, Terry Castillo, movements, Tafolla said. The

featured speakers—Texas Poet Pecan Shellers strike began on

Laureate Carmen Tafolla and January 31, 1938 and ultimately

Sharyll Teneyuca—spoke about led to many arrests during the

the the challenges that confronted duration of the strike with up

the pecan shellers at the time. to 700 arrests being made that

Mostly, Mexican and Mexican drew national and international

American, they were not allowed attention. At Governor James

to serve on juries or to vote Carmen Tafolla & Sheryll Tenayuca speak at Cassiano Park on the occasion of the 84th Allred’s urging, the Texas
without restrictions like the poll Anniversary of the Pecan Shellers Strike. Photo by Robin Jerstad, Express News Industrial Commission investi-

tax. The No Mexicans Allowed mentality was in effect and extended gated possible violations of civil rights in San Antonio and found the
to lunch counters, restuarants, swimming pools and theaters. The Great police interference with the right of peaceful assembly to be unjusti-
Depression disproportionally impacted poor & working class families
who found putting food on the table required extraordinary efforts. fied. According to the Texas Handbook of the Texas State Historical LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 2•
Living conditions for pecan shellers who often lived in company Association, the strike yielded better pay, with further improvements
shacks meant living without running water or sanitation. Public Health that led to Congress establishing a minimum wage later that year. In
statistics of the time indicated that San Antonio had the highest rates March 1938 both sides agreed to arbitration. An initial settlement of
of tuberculosis deaths in the country as well as high infant mortality seven and eight cents was increased when Congress passed the Fair
rates—something that the dust from cracked pecans that hung in the Labor Standards Act of 1938, which established a minimum wage of
air contributed to. twenty-five cents an hour. Concerned that the minimum-wage law
would encourage remechanization of the industry in Te xas and there-
When employers decided to cut wages, pecan shellers fought back by displace thousands of shellers, the Congress of Industrial Organiza-
walking off their jobs declaring a strike that was to last three months tions joined with the employers’ association in seeking an exemption
and inspire 12,000 workers (mostly women) to march for higher wag- of pecan workers from provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The
es and better working conditions. The pecan shellers who were paid Department of Labor, however, denied the exemption, and over the
the paltry sum of less than three dollars a week for their manual labor
in poor work facilities persisted in challenging management next three years cracking machines replaced more than 10,000
and San Antonio city officials while enduring criticism shellers in San Antonio shops. To this day, the
from mainstream Mexican American organizations. Pecan Shellers Strike continues to have an
Despite the fact that pecans were the largest industry impact on U.S. labor history and must
in the city and that Texas produced 50% of the na- always be remembered. As Sharyll
tion’s pecans, the workers making that possible did Teneyuca noted her Aunt Emma was
not benefit from the profits made. almost forgotten in the annuals of
history but her role in San Anto-
The Pecan Shellers unanimously chose nio and in labor history, once
Emma Tenayuca as their strike leader. She forgotten and erased, is now
was 21 years old at that time. She had beginning to be realized.

Maria del Refugio Ozuna, 5
age 13, and Mrs. San Juan
Gonzáles, age 7, working at
Southern Pecan Shelling Co.,
Jan.17, 1938.| Photo courtesy
of UTSA—one of the photos
on display at the Cassiano
Park celebration.

Save The Story:

The Emma Tenayuca Project

By Sharyll Soto Teneyuca of the courthouse. When strangers of my aunt’s generation heard my

EDITOR’S NOTE: On the occasion of the 84th anniversary of the last name, they would immediately ask if I was related to her. I remem-
Pecan Shellers Strike, we are reprinting this excerpt from the Nov ber how their eyes would shine as they spoke of her. They spoke of
2001 La Voz written by Sharyll Teneyuca in tribute to her aunt, Emma her courage and her talent. They told me she was someone who really
Tenayuca, who led the pecan shellers strike on January 31, 1938. cared about the people. I read in their faces more than they could actu-
ally say. I saw in them how deeply she had been revered. They spoke

I was probably about 9 or 10 years old when I was first aware that of her as if she had no equal.

there was something about our last name and my Aunt Emma that I had another glimpse into the power of her persona at a Miss Fi-

wasn’t openly discussed in our esta pageant during the 80’s. Part

family. Without understanding, I of the competition was to portray a

only had an impression that some- significant woman in history. One of

thing had happened a long time the contestants, Laura Hernández,

ago that was now hush-hush. It chose Aunt Emma for her dramatic

was as if the family was protect- presentation. She had come to me for

ing her. some direction in her research and

The first door to open for me later invited us to the pageant. Dur-

into this mystery happened when ing intermission, I ran into my friend

I was about fifteen. On what was and former employer, Rick Grennan,

probably the 30-year anniversary who was one of the pageant sponsors.

of the Municipal Auditorium riot When I introduced him to my aunt and

of 1939, I picked up the newspaper he realized that one of the “ historic

to find a pictorial commemoration women” who had been portrayed on

of the event, with pictures and vivid descrip- stage was actually present, he was elated. He
insisted that she come on stage to say a few
“I was arrested a numbertions. I read with awe that “Emma Tenayuca
was the charismatic leader of a movement
words. My aunt was not the least bit anxious
of times. I never thought inthat shook the city’s labor force, “a “fiery or hesitant at the invitation. I, however, was
terms of fear. I thought inorator” who married Homer Brooks, a Com-
secretly terrified that she might never leave

munist. She had been involved in organizing the stage, once she warmed up to whatever
would be her topic. I must have admonished
terms of justice.”­­and fighting for the rights of the city’s poor
against some of the city’s most profitable her a dozen times, “No more than five min-

LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 2• industries. I read of the mass destruction done to the municipal audi- utes, alright? Remember, keep it short.”

torium by the angry mob who stormed it in protest of the Communist She was slightly annoyed at my anxiety but informed me calmly,

party meeting that was to be held there that night and at which she was “It’s alright. I know what I’m going to say.” Not only was I worried for

to speak. I was both proud and impressed to finally learn the family nothing, I was about to witness a jewel of a moment. As she stood on

secret about Aunt Emma. that darkened stage, with all the contestants in elegant evening gowns

My aunt’s response to this article, of which I’m sure she had no lined up behind her, the air was full of tension and anticipation. It took

warning, was not positive. She had only been back in San Antonio her but a moment to ignite that expectant audience. Though she, in her

about a year or two and was teaching public school on the South side. way, merely shared a few insights on a recent political scandal and sug-

She feared for her job. I later learned that, after her years of organizing, gested that the young pageant contestants seriously consider a career in

a steady, decent job had been unavailable to her for years. On this occa- politics and public service, the audience seemed to want to keep her for

sion, though, she need not have worried. She continued to teach in the their own. They gave her a standing ovation and were still cheering her

Harlandale district until her retirement in 1982. and calling her name as we walked to the parking lot.

It was that newspaper article, finally ending the years of our fam- Besides my relief that night after it was all over, I could only think

ily’s secrecy, that planted in me the seeds of longing for the rest of the to myself, “Even in her 70s, she has not lost her touch.” She still had

story. I believe I have been, in various stages, working on retrieving the ability to reach to the depths of people’s hearts through the gift of

my aunt’s story since that first memorable awakening about her role her voice. I was able to begin to imagine her impact so many years ago

in history. when people starving and children dying moved her to a life-altering

Several years ago, I met Dr. Carmen Tafolla at a dinner where I course of action. The suffering and injustice she saw would not let her

accepted an award for my aunt. I learned that Carmen had known my be silent. I could begin to understand how she led the largest strike in

aunt during the late 70s and early 80s. I didn’t know she was also an the city’s history.

acclaimed poet and author. We eventually discussed the possibility of BIO: Sharyll S. Teneyuca, niece of Emma Tenayuca, is an attorney
working together on my aunt’s biography. When I asked for her as- in San Antonio with her own private practice. She is also co-author
sistance, she immediately said yes. We have become friends as well as with Carmen Tafolla of the children’s book, That’s Not Fair! / ¡No
partners in the project. Es Justo!: Emma Tenayuca’s Struggle for Justice/La lucha de Emma
Tenayuca por la justicia. Photo:Emma Tenayuca in Bexar County
6 I have had many more windows and doors to the past open for me Jail, June 29, 1937. Courtesy, UTSA Special Collections.
since. One of my favorites was the way I was greeted as a new lawyer
in San Antonio in the early 80’s, when I first began walking the halls

hree Women of Jeru

By Carla Lucero

The T salem

The Three Women of Jerusalem opera will premiere on March 19th LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 2•

at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles

(Los Angeles) April 1, 2021 —  LA Opera has com- • It will be LA Opera’s first production at the Ca-
missioned composer and librettist Carla Lucero to
write The Three Women of Jerusalem (Las Tres Mu- thedral since the pandemic forced the cancelation
jeres de Jerusalén), an opera to be performed in 2022 of planned 2020 and 2021 performances there. 
by a cast of hundreds in a monumental staging at the
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, with hundreds • It will also be LA Opera’s first large-scale
of additional performers joining in virtually from
around the world. public performance to incorporate musicians
participating via online conferencing, something
Sung in Spanish, the opera is based on the Passion that the company has embraced throughout the
narrative of the Eighth Station of the Cross, depict- pandemic via the LA Opera On Now platform of
ing the women who weep for Jesus as He is forced digital programming.   
toward the crucifixion. The opera imagines who these With two performances taking place at the Cathe-
unnamed women were, showing the experiences of dral on March 19, 2022, The Three Women of Jerusa-
ordinary people sharing their compassion when con- lem will premiere under the baton of James Conlon,
fronted with evil. the company›s Richard Seaver Music Director.
Eli Villanueva will direct the production, which
Presented through the LA Opera Connects series will feature LA Opera’s professional singers and or-
of community engagement programming, the opera chestral musicians performing alongside hundreds of
will mark many firsts for the company: nonprofessional cast members and musicians drawn
from local Catholic schools, churches, nonprofit orga-
• It is the first by a female composer and the first nizations and public schools.
Not only is Carla Lucero the composer of The
Spanish-language opera to be commissioned for Three Women of Jerusalem, she also wrote the
LA Opera performances at the Cathedral. 

7

libretto. While the opera will be performed in Spanish, screens. These global performances will be shown on

neither cast members nor audience members will need large screens inside the Cathedral during the perfor-

to understand Spanish to participate; the presentation mance, bringing everyone together. 

will include projected English translation of the lyrics. Major support for this production is provided by a

“I grew up hearing my father and grandparents generous grant from the Dan Murphy Foundation, which

speaking Spanish,” said Lucero. “It’s a passionate and has underwritten these community productions at the Ca-

beautiful lan- thedral since their inception in 2007.

guage that I am

proud to have Composer/Librettist Carla

as part of my Lucero
heritage. My
Originally from Los Angeles,
siblings and I
Carla Lucero studied composi-
understood it
tion at CalArts with Rand Steiger,
and spoke it on
Morton Subotnick and Leonard
a basic level
Rosenman. Her work has been
until learning
performed internationally by or-
it formally in
chestras, chamber ensembles and
school.
soloists in Mexico, Chile, Cuba,
Then, as an
Canada, Germany, Spain
adult, my music
and Italy.
has taken me
Her 2001 opera Wuo-
all over Latin Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in rnos, about the tragic
America and Los Angeles, inside and building outside

Spain, and my parents retired in Mexico 30 years life of serial killer Aileen

ago. I am able to speak it more naturally now and Wuornos, premiered at

really love the nuances of the language, some of San Francisco›s Yerba

which don’t exist in English. I’m hoping that the Buena Center for the

Spanish-speaking Arts, winning “10 Best

communities of Los of Stage” from Ad-

Angeles and beyond vocate and Out magazines. Her second

will accept this as a opera, Juana, with co-librettist Alicia Gaspar

love letter from me to de Alba, premiered in 2019 with Opera

them.”  UCLA. A Spanish-language opera about 17th-

Lucero notes that century feminist icon, Sor Juana Inés de la

the major themes Cruz, Juana will have its New York premiere

of her opera, while later this year with dell’Arte Opera. Currently in

drawn from the New The company premiere of Noah’s Flood in 2007 development is an opera about Helen Keller, with
co-librettist Marianna Mott Newirth, which will
Testament, “are universal concepts to me, and not spe-
cific to any religious belief. The Passion can be uplift- premiere at Opera Birmingham in 2024.
She recently completed two dance commis-
ing and motivating and I really hope this comes through
sions: House of Names for San Francisco›s Marika Brussel
in The Three Women.”
Dance and Reckoning Ramona for Heidi Duckler Dance
Traditionally, participation in LA Opera’s produc-
in Los Angeles. Later this year, her song cycle El Castillo
tions at the Cathedral—one of many LA Opera Con-
Interior will have its UK premiere during the London
nects engagement initiatives—hasn’t been limited to
the hundreds of performers appearing on the stage. The Festival of American Music.

entire audience, numbering in the thousands, is also en-

couraged to take part by singing congregational hymns Community Opera at the Cathedral

incorporated into each opera.  Beginning with the hugely popular company pre-
The Three Women of Jerusalem will take audience miere of Britten’s Noah’s Flood in 2007, LA Opera
has opened its stage doors to aspiring performers of
participation several steps further. Singers from all ages in the Los Angeles community—including
around the world—particularly from Spanish-speaking singers, dancers and musicians—to perform along with
nations—will be invited to participate virtually in the professionals in those fields in a fully-staged springtime
performance by singing the congregational hymns that opera. The Cathedral at Our Lady of the Angels has
Carla Lucero is including in her score. Angelenos who generously donated their facility for the program›s use
are unable to attend the Cathedral presentations in per- since its inception. Participation isn›t limited to the
son can also participate by singing along on their home

hundreds of performers on the stage; the entire audience
is also encouraged to join in the fun by singing along.
While the stories of the operas presented at the Cathedral
are based on biblical subjects, people of all beliefs and
backgrounds are encouraged to participate and attend.

About La Opera The Opera brings to mind Las Tres Marias (oil on canvas)
by San Antonio artist, Ángel Rodríguez-Díaz. It depicts
Los Angeles is a city of enormous diversity and creativ- three contemporary women (from San Antonio) as the three
ity, and LA Opera is dedicated to reflecting that vibrancy Marys (Mary Salome, Mary of Callas (mother of James)
by redefining what opera can be with thrilling perfor- and Mary Magdalene at the tomb of Jesus on Resurrection
mances, thought-provoking productions and innovative Day. Commissioned by the Archdiocese of San Antonio
programming. The communal and curative power of for the 275th anniversary of San Fernando Cathedral, it
opera is needed now more than ever before, given the was unveiled in 2006 and graced the entryway of the San
extraordinary challenges of the time. As LA Opera awaits Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio. —The Editor of La Voz
its cue to return to the stage with world-class productions
in theaters, the company is offering a multitude of con-
tent including live recitals, opera broadcasts and learning
opportunities via its LA Opera On Now digital offerings,
which have accumulated more than 800,000 views since
launching last spring. The company is grateful to its
supporters for helping to ensure that it has the resources
needed to get through this unprecedented period through
the LA Opera Relief Fund. Those wanting to support LA
Opera can visit www.LAOpera.org/donate.

Composer Carla Lucero and the
Three Women of Jerusalem

Interview: Carla Lucero it’s all about hope and compassion, something we all LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 2•
is breaking boundaries. need after the past year. And it’s suitable for audiences of
The world premiere of her any faith (or none at all); its themes of compassion and
opera The Three Women of community are universal. We asked the composer to talk
Jerusalem (Las Tres Mujeres about her new opera.  
de Jerusalén), LA Opera’s 2022 The Bible Only Has One Sentence About These
community opera production Women. How Did You Fill Out The Story?   
at the Cathedral of Our Lady Yes, there is little information about them. They weep
of the Angels, will mark sev- for Jesus when they witness His pain and understand,
eral firsts. It’s the first opera on some level, that there has been no crime commit-
by a female composer (she’s ted that could justify such torture and humiliation.
also the librettist) and the first Jesus understands their weeping as an acknowledge-
Spanish-language opera to be commissioned for the ment of their own human frailty. In essence, the tears
Cathedral.   they shed are tears of grief for the darker side of
The family-friendly opera will premiere on March human nature, something that we all carry inside of
19, 2022, with James Conlon conducting hundreds of ourselves to varying degrees.   
amateur singers, dancers and instrumentalists of all
ages, along with LA Opera’s professional soloists and  I introduce the women at the beginning of the
musicians. Singers from around the world will also opera, as they shop in the marketplace. This gives
sing along (virtually) with the congregational hymns. the audience a bit of backstory on their individual
These global performances will be shown inside the characters. I also give them names. I don’t want to give
Cathedral, bringing everyone together.  too much away about the main characters, but let’s
The opera depicts the moment when Jesus pauses to just say that they end up living up to these names:
comfort weeping women along the way to the crucifix- Sacrifice, Love and Purpose.  
ion. (This event is commemorated in Roman Catholic
services as the Eighth Station of the Cross.) Ultimately Continued on Page 11

9

Alazan courts
Reimagined

By Kayla Miranda

Kicking off the first blames the community

official meeting with for her husband leaving

community and resi- her. She stated that she

dents of Alazan/Apache is not from this area and

Courts, Able City and that she is very unhappy

SAHA (San Antonio here. Yet, this resident

Housing Authority) had spoke for all residents?

a joint one hour session One of the questions

on February 1, 2022. residents asked me was:

The usual advocates and If I participate will I

nay-sayers attended, as have to deal with that?

well as a few confused The answer should be

residents that are new to no. I believe everyone

the property and have is entitled to their own

no idea what is going opinions. I will hear out

on. This is a concern. In anyone who is behaving

October of 2019, I led a and speaking respect-

group of outreach work- fully. Unfortunately,

ers to knock on doors for the most part, these

and speak to residents on conversations often turn

LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 2• both sides of the prop- ugly pretty quickly. One

erty issue. The majority, of many reasons ten-

when given all the facts, ants refuse to speak up.

preferred preservation They are afraid of being

to demolition. When I say all the facts, it means ALL the confronted at their homes by their own neighbors. The sad

facts. Including what will happen to the neighborhood and thing is, we don’t need to fight. The residents who want

community if demolition happens and examples of other new construction can have it. And those of us that want

public housing units that have been renovated. There are preservation can also have it. There are 44 units available

options for both preservation and demolition. Pros and in the new construction of Legacy at Alazan, and new

cons for both. But the community spoke up.  units will more than likely be built to ensure we keep 501

The weekend before the kickoff meeting, returning to units. The answer to the conflict is simple. Give the new

doors, I found that there are a large number of new ten- units to the tenants that want them. Allow preservation

ants. I was also informed that another tenant who prefers for the tenants that prefer that. Why should we have to

demolition has been gathering followers, also. I invited choose?

some of the tenants who didn’t have access to the internet I believe that a lot of the problem is a lack of informa-

to the Rinconcito de Esperanza and had a small group us- tion. Many community members believed the previous

ing one zoom under the title of CTJ, Coalition for Tenant SAHA leadership when they said that the units could not

Justice, a tenant organization I helped form in 2020. be saved if they wanted modern amenities such as air

As the conversation got more intense, these tenants conditioning and washer/dryer hookups. The reality is that

got more uncomfortable. They felt bullied. Not by SAHA, they can be. Some tenants are also under the impression

not by Able City, but by the 2 residents that continuously that the units would be the same size. HUD has changed

attacked preservation in the chat, the same two that have its regulations since the original units were built, the

always advocated for demolition, even when that meant units whether new or remodeled will have to comply with

the displacement of over half its residents. One of them current regulations. Once the inside is demo-ed, they will

10 said during public comment on the October 2020 SAHA need to combine some units to accommodate larger spac-
Commission meeting that she hates this neighborhood and es. The electrical and plumbing will be new. Everything

inside the unit will be new. pitch black and hidden at
The back and forth is com- night. I’ve seen cars come
pletely counterproductive. and go, parking for a while.
Many individuals are under I’ve seen people participat-
the impression that when ing in lewd acts inside their
we say preserve, we mean vehicles and drug deals etc.
keep exactly the same. That But they don’t live here.
couldn’t be farther from It’s a spot that they know is
the truth. We aren’t talking dark, in an area that people
about slapping some paint are afraid to speak up. As
on the inside and calling it residents, we know that any
new. It means completely police reports or calls tied
new insides while keeping to a SAHA address auto-
the outside. My question to matically goes to the front
those who demand com- office. We don’t want the
plete demolition, if we can trouble on our doorstep. The
address all the construction problem is not the buildings.
related concerns while still preserving historical buildings, why is It is not the residents. It is the people from other areas that use
demolition necessary? Why are you so adamantly against saving our community in a negative way. Better lighting, more security
anything?  on the properties, even video cameras in parking lots would help
combat these issues. 
There are also security and infrastructure concerns from In closing, I want to remind everyone that discrimination
many residents. First, a reality check is needed here. Razing comes in many forms. It’s so easy for the oppressed to become
a community to lower the crime rate is ridiculous. Brand new the oppressors out of fear, trauma and a lack of information.
buildings will not change that. Forcing out the current popula- It is time to stop villainizing public housing. Stop visualizing
tion will not address the problems. In the 4 hour orientation all scenes from “Boyz in the Hood” every time you think about
SAHA tenants take prior to moving in, the security officer does a the courts. It’s important to see the whole picture. This is an
presentation for future tenants. Part of this presentation is statis- opportunity for our community to shine. To heal. It’s time we
tics like 95% of all crime on SAHA properties are not committed dream up a positive future.
by tenants. It’s people that come to public housing properties.
I have had plenty of personal experience with this. Some keep BIO: Kayla Miranda, a housing justice advocate organizing
shooting out the street lamps in the parking areas and green in the Westside of San Antonio, resides at the Alazan/Apache
spaces in between buildings. The parking lot behind my unit is Courts.

Composer Carla Lucero operas in both Spanish and English, and honestly, LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 2•
Continued from Page 9 both languages work wonderfully when they are set
to music. Spanish is softer on the tongue and on the
What Do You Hope That Audiences Will Take Away ear with rich and round vowel sounds. Spanish is not
From The Opera?   my first language, so I enlisted the assistance of an
I hope that audiences identify with the tests of faith amazing poet and translator, Dr. Rita E. Urquijo-Ruiz,
and conscience that the three women in the opera professor at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX who
face. In the end, following our conscience is having is also a theater artist. She translated my original
faith in the goodness within us and acting according- libretto from English to Spanish very carefully, so that
ly. This is a universal concept to me, and not specific to it would register
any religious belief. Through empathy comes tangible culturally and poeti-
goodness and change for the better, if we put away cally with the audi-
our fears. The Passion can be uplifting and motivating. ence. I hope that the
I really hope this comes through in The Three Women.   Spanish speaking
communities of Los
Could You Talk A Bit About Having The Piece Per- Angeles and beyond
formed In Spanish?   will accept this as a
It’s a passionate and beautiful language that I am love letter from me
proud to have as part of my heritage. I have written to them.  See: bit.ly/
threeWomen
Dr. Rita E. Urquijo-Ruiz,Trinity University

11

Critical Service-Learning

Reflections and Testimonios on Jardines

By Daniel Lince, Fabian Longoria, Mireya Villalpando, and Kaitlin Popielarz, PhD

Introduction garden project as a response in a time of Pandemic and Gentri-
fication”. We supported this project and Esperanza’s preparation
During the fall 2021 semester, I (Dr. Kaitlin Popielarz) par- for Día de los Muertos by creating garlands, planting flowers
ticipated in critical service-learning with the Esperanza Center and garden beds, making nichos for the ofrendas, and cleaning.
alongside my undergraduate students (Mireya, Fabian, and We learned from and with intergenerational community mem-
Daniel) who are currently enrolled as teacher candidates in the bers about the history and cultural heritage of the Westside, the
middle grades teacher preparation program at UTSA’s Col- ongoing justice work of Esperanza to resist gentrification, and
lege of Education and Human Development. Through critical how Esperanza supports local school communities in centering
service-learning, teacher candidates have the opportunity to the identities of students within the classroom. My students and
develop accountable and reciprocal relationships with a local I are deeply grateful for our critical service-learning experi-
community organization. The intention is that teacher candidates ences with Esperanza. We are especially thankful to Michael
will experience transformative educational practices that they and the entire Esperanza volunteer community who supported us
will implement in their own future classrooms as certified educa- in understanding how Esperanza and the Westside community
tors. For my students and I, critical service-learning is student- actively reclaim, restore, and revitalize public and community
centered, collaborative, analytical, justice-based, anti-colonial, land, stories, identities, and histories. These are lessons that we
and culturally sustaining both in theory and practice. For our will take with us into our classrooms and we look forward to
critical service-learning with Esperanza, my students and I future participation with Esperanza! 
collaborated with Michael Marinez on the Jardines y Viviendas
del Westside project which was a “two-month long community

LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 2• Student Testimonios

Daniel

When I think about my time at the Esperanza Center, I think with one another through music, paintings, and food. Through

of a time in which I got to work with fellow classmates and the Esperanza Center I was able to find myself celebrating all

people within the community to gain a these unique features by painting

connection with the community. From an altar, planting flowers, eating

planting flowers to making our own altars posole and seeing the creation of big

for Día De Los Muertos it was a unique altars celebrating the cycle of life.

experience in which I was able to get in My time at the Esperanza Center

touch with my heritage and celebrate it ev- was unique because it put me inside

ery Tuesday. When I think of my Mexican the San Antonio

heritage, I think of the connection we have community for the

first time, it allowed

me to see what life

was outside of this

college bubble I

currently live in. It

was a great experi-

12 Students engaged in building garden boxes ence, and it is one I
and planting marigolds at the Rinconcito de will carry forever.
Esperanza and throughout the near Westside.

with the Esperanza Center

y Viviendas del Westside

Fabian

My time at the Esperanza Center this semester was very this relationship. The Esperanza, amongst many other things,

insightful and impactful. Seeing the passion and hard work of is a place of education and awareness of our past and culture

the incredible people there was inspiring and will stay with me that I believe every student should learn about and share with

for a long time. In my education courses others. One memorable moment I had

at UTSA the idea of community involve- was walking around the community

ment and the impact a community has on and seeing the culture and connected-

a school is talked about often and I believe ness the neighborhood had with one

the Esperanza Center is a great example of another. My experience at the Esper-

anza Center will encourage me to not

only tell others more about the center

but also take the importance of culture

and community into my

classroom and teach-

Students show off the back of framed ing in the
nichos that were used to display future.
photos on the community altar that was
Casa de Cuentos at the Rinconcito de Esperanza served exhibited outdoors.
as a base from which to work on the Jardines project.

Mireya LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 2•

I have worked within the San Antonio community for a while tiples to elicit real change. From Día de los Muertos prepara-
tions to walks around the neighborhood, anyone can see the
now; as a Peer Mentor, as a student, and even as an after beauty and diversity that Esperanza works so hard to preserve.
This isn’t just “that” community, but this is our home. This is
school counselor for elementary students. Since moving to the school my father left, the neighborhood my Grandmother
lived in, and the cemetery where my uncle is buried. We have
Texas, I have been surrounding myself with people of the to continue this work in appreciation and avocation in order to
preserve these valuable stories.
community, yet neglecting to actually take part in its apprecia-

tion. In working with Esperanza, I have gained not only an

experience that

will impact my

understanding

of empathy and

culture, but I also

take away a sense

of belonging. I

have learned that

when starting

with personal

autonomy to un-

derstand issues Michael Marinez leads participants in the distribution of
and injustice, potted marigolds for Dia de los muertos.
it just takes the
13
work of mul- Flower boxes were constructed at the Rinconcito and at homes nearby at
the Alazan Apache Courts on the Westside.

Mornings in Jenin Book Review

by Yoly Zentella

Mornings in Jenin
by Susan Abulhawa.
New York: Bloomsbury, 2010.

Palestinian Nabke Refugees

As I write this, Palestinians continue to live under Israeli occupa- estine Writes, the first North American Palestinian literature
tion. The former, were subjected to the Nakbe, 1947-1949, a span of
time during which ancestral lands and homes were confiscated, and festival.
groups of Palestinians were removed to refugee camps, murdered Mornings in Jenin, tells, over time, of a family caught in the
and massacred. Palestine was ethnic cleansed to make room for Zi-
onist settlement. The displacement, theft of land and confiscation of violence of occupation and the response of the main characters liv-
Palestinian culture and tradition, continues today with the sanction ing in Palestine and in exile in the Middle East and the U.S. The
of Israeli government and support of the military. Such a horrific pain of the experience revolves around two events, the abduction
of Amal Abulheja’s infant brother, Ismael, by an Israeli military
continuing experience pushes the heirs of this historical tragedy, liv- soldier, Moshe, for his childless wife, Jolanta, victim of the holo-
ing both in Palestine and the Diaspora, to describe the legacy of the
Nakbe, and of the culture and history of Palestine before and after caust and, the massacre of residents in the Shatila refugee camp in
occupation. Abulhawa’s novel contributes to this push. Beirut, Lebanon, where Amal’s childhood friend and sister-in-law,
Fatima, her daughter, and her unborn child, are massacred by the
This novel is important reading for those familiar with Pal- militia of Lebanese forces, orchestrated and supported by Israeli
estine, interested in historical novels, and wanting to delve into military. These two events unfold against a historical background
lived experiences. It is also a work that appeals to those seek- of the occupation, clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli
military, the formation of an underground resistance against Israel
ing flowing, absorbing writing; a good combination in which to
LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 2• describe history through fictional characters. and the slow realization of David the Jew, the soldier, of his real
identity; that he may really be a Muslim Palestinian named Ismael,
Susan Abulhawa is a Palestinian-American novelist and stolen as an infant, and raised as a Jew. David’s hidden identity,
activist well acquainted with the occupation of Palestine by his implication in the beating of his brother Yousef, and meeting
the state of Israel. Her parents, born in Jerusalem, Palestine, his sister Amal decades later, are at the core of the unification of
experienced the Nakbe, the occupation and expulsion from family fragments in Israel. The story is based on fictional charac-
their homes by European Zionists. Her parents were refugees ters, however, for those familiar with history of the occupation, the

of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. Abulhawa was born in Kuwait, physical and psychological horror of this history is very real. Taken
1970. Her background and literary intelligence motivated sev- from chronicles and reliable sources as Abulhawa explains in the
eral novels. Mornings in Jenin was her debut work. Since then Author’s Note of the book, these historical events can easily be
Abulhawa has risen to the status of most widely read Palestin- researched by the reader. The characters are playing out possible
ian author.  An activist, Abulhawa founded Playgrounds for responses. Chapters 5 and 23 house the principle events that weave
Palestine, an organization making
possible the building of playgrounds in and out of Amal’s life.
As in my last review
for Palestinian children, replac-
ing childhood spaces lost through of, Against a Loveless
Israel’s destruction of Palestinian World, maps related to
communities by bombings, home the events would have
demolitions, and settler violence. been useful. Strengths
She is supporter of Boycott Di- are many. The flow of
vestment and Sanctions (BDS) a the language, the glos-
sary of Arabic words,
non-violent boycott of Israel in a
variety of contexts, bringing to light Massacre Shabra and Shatila, September 16-18, 1982 description of Palestin-
the apartheid circumstances under ian traditions, and the
griping description of
14 which Palestinians currently live. emotions, all principle
Abulhawa is also co-chair of Pal- elements of a story,

Notas Y Más

March 2022

Community meetings and cultural art events are again taking Start your 2022
place virtually due to continuing concerns about COVID. Check tax deductible gifts
websites, FB or call 210-228-0201 for meetings and events
currently scheduled. www.esperanzacenter.org Give to the Esperanza in spirit of solidarity
so we can continue to speak out, organize
Glasstire San Antonio. Films will address and fight for our communities for another
30 Years. Your support is needed NOW more
announces the one of two category options: San
than ever! Thank you for your gifts!
2022 Central Texas Art Writing Prize Antonio: A UNESCO Creative City Send donations to Esperanza

contest for emerging arts writers in of Gastronomy OR Public Art of San Esperanza Peace
And Justice Center
the greater Austin/San Antonio area. Antonio. Submissions deadline is
922 San Pedro Avenue
The prize, awarded to a a senior Monday, April 18, 2022 at 4 p.m. San Antonio, TX 78212

undergraduate or graduate student at CST. See: www.filmsanantonio. To sign up as a monthly donor,
Call 210.228.0201 or
a Texas University, includes a $2,500 com/News-Events/Film-Contests
email: [email protected]
award. Deadline is March 26, 2022
Visit www.esperanzacenter.org/donate
at 11:59 pm. For details see: bit.ly/ Gemini Ink, SA’s for online giving options.
glass-tire Writing Arts Center
¡Mil Gracias!
announces its spring writing classes

with renowned writers that include

Edward Vidaurre, Texas Poet

The 2022 #FilmSA Contest Laureate from McAlllen, Tx and
sponsored by the San Antonio Juan Felipe Herrera, 2015 U.S.
Film Commission seeks to inspire Poet Laureate. For upcoming events
youth to explore filmmaking and and programs, visit geminiink.org or
gain an appreciation for the city of call 210-734-WORD (9673).

albeit tragic, were told well. SAVE THE DATE! LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 2•
There is one glaring truth about Mornings in Jenin, the pain it
Westside San Antonio: Taking It Public
describes is disturbing, and emotionally overwhelming f, in partic-
ular, the treatment of Palestinians displaced by the Israeli military, a Public History Conference and Conversation
the massacre in Shatila, and the arrest and torture of Palestinian Friday & Saturday, April 8th & 9th
children. But the accusations are real, one can research such events
in multiple sources. And the description of pain is necessary, if ...addressing a wide range of topics related
readers are to grasp the seriousness of the occupation. Sometimes to San Antonio’s historic Westside: Cultura,
experiencing other’s pain is a necessary step toward support of a
people. This is a book to read. Politica, Economia, Historia, y mas!

The next issue will review The Blue Between Sky and Water,
published in the U.S., 2015.

BIO: Yoly Zentella is a Chicana PhD researcher/writer and editor Co-sponsored by St. Mary’s University and the
of La Platica del Norte. She lives in Las Vegas, NM. Esperanza Peace & Justice Center
Check: www.esperanzacenter.org
For more on the issue of Palestine consider this mix:
15
Nusseibeh, S. (2007). Once Upon a Country. NY: Farrar,
Straus and Giroux

Rosenwasser, P. (1992). Voices from a ‘Promised Land’: Pales-
tinian & Israeli Peace Activists Speak Their Hearts. Willimantic,
CT: Curbstone Press

Said, E. W. (1979 ) The Question of Palestine. NY: Times
Books

Weir, A. (2014). Against Our Better Judgment: How the U.S.
was used to create Israel. If Americans Knew.Org

LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 2•

Noche Azul LIVE!
with limited seating
at the Esperanza

Check Facebook & our Website for Non-Profit Org.
tickets and more information. US Postage
www.esperanzacenter.org/ PAID

www.FaceBook.com/EsperanzaCenter San Antonio, TX
Permit #332
Esperanza Peace & Justice Center
922 San Pedro San Antonio TX 78212
210.228.0201 • www.esperanzacenter.org

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