After the Supreme Court’s landmark case making gay marriage legal in 2015, it was easy to believe that gay people had finally achieved some semblance of equality. Yet, with the election of President Donald Trump one year later, it seems minority communities are more vulnerable than ever. Moved by the current political climate, the Esperanza…
Local Exhibitions Celebrate Diversity, Emphasize Humanity
In the wake of Kathy Griffin’s recent photo scandal, involving the fake severed head of President Donald Trump, artists around the country continue to speak out against the anti-immigrant and non-inclusive policies of the president’s administration. While most can agree that Griffin’s staged photo of a beheading crosses the line of decency, it no doubt…
Women of Color Art Show Marks Esperanza Anniversary
An exhibit of artwork by women of color which commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center is set to open on March 25. Aqui Estamos y No Nos Vamos (We’re Here and Not Leaving) will feature the work of over 40 women artists. The exhibit is timed to coincide with San…
Esperanza Center Celebrates 30 Years of Community Empowerment
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. Imelda Arismendez sits on a ladder, molding adobe with her bare hands. Her long, brown braid hangs behind her as she sculpts details onto the front of her new home, or so it’s beginning to feel like. This building will house MujerArtes’ new studio — the Esperanza Peace…
LGBT Activists Invite Community to MLK March
When local activists Darrell Garcia Parsons and his husband, Jason Garcia Parsons, learned that no local LGBT group was organizing the community to participate in the city’s Martin Luther King, Jr. March on January 16, they decided to take on the task themselves. “Jason and I were planning on marching anyways and had not heard…
Mercado de Paz Offers Unique Shopping Experience
Shoppers looking for an alternative to crowded malls and shopping centers will find a unique selection of gifts at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center’s 27th International Peace Market or Mercado de Paz, held annually during Thanksgiving weekend. This year, the market will expand its schedule from two to three days — starting Friday, November…
Attorney María Salazar Is a Voice for the Vulnerable and a Builder of Bridges
María R. Salazar was 5 years old when she held her first important job. “I was the water girl,” she recalled of working at a tender age in the beet, onion and potato fields of Idaho, where her parents toiled as migrant workers. “Whenever it would get really hot, I would take the jugs out…
SA Celebrates Halloween and Dia de los Muertos
It’s that time of year when pumpkin spice invades the food chain and when zombies and skeletons hit the streets in celebration of Halloween and Dia de los Muertos. In San Antonio, we can choose from parties, stage productions and art shows to observe the three-day cycle. Below is a list of events for celebrating…
King and Queen Huevo to Reign over Rancheros Cook-Off and Gala
San Anto Cultural Arts will honor two San Antonians who have contributed to the culture of their community by proclaiming them King and Queen Huevo for the annual Huevos Rancheros Cook-Off and Gala on March 4, 2017 at Rosedale Park. At this year’s event, King Huevo David Zamora Casas and Queen Huevo Rita Viduarri will…
Workshop: Back to School Challenges for Trans Kids
With the new school year just around the corner, the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center is hosting a workshop on how to navigate possible school-related problems when you are the parent of a trans child. The workshop, Son Tus Niños También: Trans Kids Back To School, will address the legal rights of trans children and…