This grass roots publication is the life source for a community that is not easily afforded viable access to diverse and accessible media. San Antonio and the surrounding counties have become accustomed to relevant news brought to them in both English and Spanish since 1913.
Yvette Tello
Publisher
y.tello@laprensatexas.com
Ramon Chapa Jr. Community Liaison
r.chapa@laprensatexas.com
Roxanne Eguia
Editor In Chief
r.eguia@laprensatexas.com
Nicodemus Gonzalez
Jessica Medrano
Graphic Designers
Dr. Ricardo Romo
Henrietta Hernandez Contributors
info@laprensatexas.com
José I. Franco
Editor Español
Maria Cisneros
Sales Representative
Sales Info:
Our Circulation
45,000 Printed And Distributed Weekly
English And Spanish
Send Press Releases And Advertising Inquiries To: Info@LaPrensaTexas.com 210-628-9611
2025
La Prensa Texas Gala
Wednesday, During National
Hispanic Heritage Month
September 25, 2025
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
DoubleTree By Hilton
611 NW Loop 410
San Antonio, TX 78216
Let’s
Talk About It Let’s Talk About It: Navigating Loss and Grief
By Yvette Tello
In a month marked by so many losses, it’s essential to reflect on how we communicate with those who are grieving. When someone passes away, the words we choose can either bring comfort or deepen the pain. It’s a sensitive topic, and many of us struggle with what to say—or what not to say—during these heartbreaking moments. What’s the best thing anyone has ever said to you when you lost a loved one? A heartfelt “I’m so sorry for your loss” or “I’m here for you” can go a long way. It’s about validating feelings and offering a shoulder to lean on. The most comforting thing anyone has ever said to me was “I wish I could take your pain away.” On the flip side, what’s the worst? I remember when my mom passed away, someone said, “God needed her.” At that moment, I couldn’t help but feel anger. How could anyone believe that God needed her more than I did? It felt dismissive of my grief. Another common phrase is, “She isn’t suffering anymore.” While it may be true, it didn’t ease my pain; I was suffering, I know I was being selfish. I never said it but I felt it. It’s remarkable to see families that embrace death with acceptance. They seem to navigate their grief with grace, finding peace in the memories of their loved ones rather than being trapped in the moment of loss. I wish that could've been me. It’s a testament to the strength of the human spirit, and it is the way it should be. Grief is a different journey for all of us; one that can feel isolating and overwhelming. But by talking about our experiences, we can create a space for healing and understanding. How do you cope with loss? What words bring you comfort, and which ones do you wish people would avoid?
Let’s talk about it…
Geronimo Franco” “I stated earlier in another conversation ‘Sorry for your loss’ seems so hollow but often said. If followed up with ‘if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here for you' would be more sincere and appreciated.”
Lisa Coleman: “What to avoid: ‘I can’t imagine’ - well then don’t. I have to live with it so I don’t want to hear how devastating it is for you to ‘imagine.’ ‘God needed him’ - well, so do I. This wasn’t God’s work that took his life, It was a crime. ‘You can still have more kids’and what….replace the one I had? Forget about him? ‘Well what exactly happened (and want details)’ - this is my child we are talking aboutthis isn’t a reality show. ‘That’s horrible’ - you don’t think I know that? ‘How do you go on? I wouldn’t be able to’ - so I’m less of a mother? What exactly would you do….take your own
life? ‘I would kill someone if it was my child’ - would you though? I’m not a murderer, I’m a mom and a grandmother. What to say: “I’m sorry for your loss” “My condolences” And leave it at that - especially if you didn’t know the person.”
Blue Rose Alvarez: “It’s always hard to know what to say and even harder not to make it about your own pain. Someone who is grieving doesn’t want to hear how sad you are because of his/her loss, even if you were really close to the deceased. The easiest thing to say is, “I’m so sorry.” Just being there is sometimes enough. When my dad died, people kept saying, “He’s in a better place.” I think that is the worst thing you can say. Often, people don’t have the patience to listen to someone who is still grieving from a loss. I think it’s important to reach out on the anniversary of their death or if a first holiday comes around without them (birthday, Christmas, etc). Make lunch or dinner plans and spend time reflecting and sharing memories. One very important note… a parent will never “get over” the loss of their child. Just make the time to listen.”
Kelly Narvaez: “To me, a simple I’m sorry for your loss. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers. Personally, I don’t care what they say, just that they are there and acknowledging my grief is enough. I don’t ever take anything personally as like you said it’s a touchy subject so why make them feel even more uncomfortable just in case they say the wrong thing. But like I said, that’s just me. Appreciate the fact that they cared enough to show up for you and not so much what words come out of their mouth. Some people just don’t know how to express their condolences and that’s OK.”
Sharon Mann: “A hug works for me..... either given or received.”
Dani Johnson: “The fact that someone is present and acknowledges the loss in some way is meaningful, even if just a hug. For a grieving person, it’s the thought and sincerity that matters, not the actual words.”
John Hynes: “I like to say : Sorry for everyone’s loss.”
Linda Ozsvath Long: “Sorry for your loss is fine…not, they are in a better place…”
Bonita Lewis: “Yeah we need a hug when we lose someone.”
Kerri Kosta: “I had several losses and traumas in a year and I got to the point where I wanted to scream every time someone said they were sorry for me.”
Carol Dustin: " ‘Cherish the memories’ is my favorite, for the death of a loved one.”
.
Gregory Leiby: “Skip the meaningful phrases. I have been on both sides. As a funeral director and handling arrangements when my teen niece was killed. The clever words, pontifications, and deep insights are meaningless. ‘I am sorry.’ and then be willing to listen. Families remember that. Also, check up on them in a month or so… after the activity has settled down. That is when it really sets in.”
Gina M. Masullo: “ I always say: I'm here for you, and I MEAN IT.”
Juanita Diamond: “Just say something. People need to feel heard. It’s better to say ‘sorry for your loss’ than nothing. It’s not meaningless.”
Randy D. Drennen: “ Why not just be accepting of words of support whatever they may be, instead of looking for trash reasons to complain? This is pathetic and despicable.”
Ed Fisher: “ Sometimes words of support are like a knife stabbing you in the guts. Most times that is the total opposite of what was intended, so why not be open to learning better ways of supporting someone who is grieving? You are right, there is nothing really wrong with, “sorry for your loss.” It’s better than saying nothing at all and avoiding the person who is grieving like they have the plague. It is what it is - what people say when they don’t know what else to say and aren’t interested in thinking about it or hearing suggestions of what might be more comforting.”
Rowan Annette Mills: “ ‘What do you need right now’ works so long as you accept the answer; that might just be ‘leave me alone’ ..... I once received that answer. I know it sounds silly but you could help with housework. Sometimes you can talk more meaningfully over a simple task like doing laundry, or cooking a meal.”
Cody Thomas: “I feel like I have been doing this all wrong with the way I send condolences to others.”
By Ricardo Romo PhD.
Luis Lopez is a distinguished Mexicanborn, San Antonio-based artist whose work bridges cultural borders and artistic disciplines. Over a nearly 50-year career, Lopez has become a celebrated figure in both the United States and Mexico for his paintings, murals, mosaics, and monumental public sculptures that explore identity, heritage, and the immigrant experience.
Born in 1954 in Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, Lopez was raised in a rural ejido where he developed a strong work ethic in a family of subsistence farmers and goat herders. He migrated to the United States as a young man and settled in San Antonio, Texas, in the mid-1970s. There, he began his artistic journey under the mentorship of Latino artists Armando Sanchez and Jesus Garza, contributing to early mural projects at Mi Tierra Café in the city’s historic Market Square.
Lopez’s early years in San Antonio were marked by a combination of workingclass jobs and creative exploration. He sold his first paintings in local art shops and steadily built a following with his vivid depictions of San Antonio landmarks and Tejano life. Among his earliest patrons was Maya Angelou, whose support helped solidify Lopez’s commitment to his craft.
Known for his stylistic range—from figurative and impressionistic to abstract and surreal—Lopez works in oil, acrylic, metal, and mosaic. His subjects often draw from his Mexican heritage, Tejano identity, and borderland narratives. One of his most iconic public artworks is Orgullo Tejano (Tejano Pride), a 14-foot mosaic and steel sculpture honoring conjunto
About the Cover Artist: Luis Lopez
legend Esteban Jordan. This landmark piece is prominently displayed on San Antonio’s West Side, near the historic Bravo Records.
Lopez has created largescale murals for San Antonio College, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and various cultural and culinary institutions. In recent years, his focus has expanded to include sculpture commissions for San Antonio’s Metro Hospital and the college planetarium, marking a new chapter in his public art career.
In 2006, Lopez founded La Casa Rosa Art Studio in San Antonio’s Tobin Hill neighborhood, a space that continues to serve as a gallery, workshop, and incubator for emerging artists. In 2024, Casa Rosa reopened with Mutations, a solo exhibition of paintings reflecting themes of cultural transformation and human resilience, inspired by the social upheavals of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lopez also maintains a strong presence in Mexico, with a working studio in Tampico and a mountaintop retreat, Casa Verde, in El Chorrito, Tamaulipas. His recent international exhibitions include the 2025 Mutations show at Espacio Cultural Metropolitano in Tampico and an upcoming exhibition at Museo Leonora Carrington in Xilitla, San Luis Potosí.
Luis Lopez’s art is featured in private collections, public installations, and museums throughout the U.S. and Mexico. His work resonates with deep cultural meaning, reflecting a life journey shaped by migration, creativity, and an enduring commitment to storytelling through art.
Read more about the artist on page 10.
Outstanding Hispanic latino of Texas “No Borders in Bravery”: San Antonio Native Leads Mexican Firefighters in Kerrville Flood Recovery
By: Cyndi Dominguez
When disaster struck the Hill Country over the Fourth of July weekend, floodwaters swallowed communities whole. Families were torn apart, homes destroyed, and the Guadalupe River turned into a deadly force. Amid the chaos, a voice of calm and courage emerged.
Ismael Aldaba, a San Antonioborn oilfield worker and president of Fundación 911, a cross-border rescue team headquartered in Mexico.
Aldaba wasn’t watching from afar. He was there! boots on the ground!
leading a team of 13 elite bomberos de Acuña, and four from fundación 911. He led Mexican firefighters and through the wreckage in Kerr County, searching tirelessly for the missing and helping recover the bodies of those lost.
“It looked like a bomb exploded,” Aldaba told reporters, describing overturned vehicles, splintered homes, and families in shock. “We came not because we were asked, but because we knew we had to.”
Aldaba’s story isn’t just about geography, it’s about identity. Ismael was born and raised in San Antonio, he whole store citizenship in Mexico, his mission spans borders. Under his leadership, Fundación 911 has responded to disasters worldwide, from
tsunamis to earthquakes. In the last 18 months alone, they’ve recovered over 100 bodies along the U.S.-Mexico border. But this mission in Texas, he says, is among the hardest.
“This is the worst we’ve seen,” Aldaba said.
When Mexico Came to Help Texas
The arrival of Fundación 911 may have surprised some, but not the local first responders in Mountain Home, Kerrville, and Ingram who welcomed the team with open arms. Working shoulder to shoulder with the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office and Texas State Police, Aldaba’s squad brought advanced search-and-recovery tools, cadaver dogs, swift-water rescue certifications, and something else you can’t teach: heart.
Add the groups that worked along with fundación 911 grupo Topos, Ground, Search and Rescue, that provide disaster recovery all over the world.
“There are no borders when it comes to firefighting,” Aldaba told the press. “This isn’t political, it’s personal.”
And indeed, as families mourned and media reports spread conflicting information, Aldaba’s presence became a symbol of unity, compassion, and clarity. Wednesday's mission
for search and rescue was done. They returned home. For Ismae,l home is San Antonio Texas.
Alongside Fundación 911’s heroic mission, another name rose to prominence in the aftermath: Hope for the Hurting. This faith-based organization mobilized swiftly, delivering urgent supplies, food, water, and emotional support to flood victims still reeling from the trauma.
While politicians debated and social media buzzed with speculation, it was boots, boats, and backpacks carried by men like Ismael Aldaba and organizations like Fundación 911, bomberos de Acuña, and Hope for the Hurting that made the real difference.
If you would like to donate equipment, old, bunker gear, Fire Gear Please email: ismael@fundación911.org. mx
Profiles in Courage: Trey Martinez Fischer
By Eduardo Jiménez Mayo
Trey Martinez Fischer, Chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus, came out fighting like Muhammad Ali at his Town Hall address of July 12, 2025, hosted by the Alamo Community Colleges District.
Incidentally, he has in common with America’s greatest activist boxer that Trey Martinez Fischer is not his birthname. He was born Ferdinand Frank Fischer III on June 6, 1970. These days, however, no one calls him Ferdinand, much less Frank. To his constituents in the greater-San Antonio area, and at the Texas capitol, everyone calls him Trey Martinez Fischer.
I had the privilege of interviewing Representative Martinez Fischer before his public address, in a more intimate setting.
We were pressed for time, however, so I limited my questioning to three areas of focus: (1) President Trump’s ultimatum to Texas lawmakers to restructure the electoral districts in anticipation of the midterm elections, (2) the immigration crisis in America, especially the escalation of ICE raids under President Trump, and (3) President Trump’s push to dismantle FEMA, despite the recent flashfloods in
Kerrville, Texas and other towns along the Guadalupe River resulting in hundreds of casualties and missing persons, and apocalyptic property damage.
The latest major action by the Texas Legislature related to congressional redistricting involves Governor Abbott’s proclamation calling a special session starting July 21, 2025, during which lawmakers will debate a new mid-decade redistricting bill targeting several Houstonarea majority-minority districts—specifically U.S. House Districts 9, 18, 29 and Fort Worth’s 33rd— to address concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice and to potentially shift partisan advantage. Driven by Trump and national Republicans, the goal is to gain up to five additional U.S. House seats
Whether Republican legislators in Austin have attempted to gerrymander the state’s electoral districts along racial lines is still an open question as far as the courts are concerned, however, there is no doubt in Representative Martinez Fischer’s mind.
“This is 100% Republicans are cheating. That’s what this is. These maps are already being contested because they’re not fair, they’re not fair to people of color, right, and now the President comes
in and says, oh, these maps are bad because they help people of color.
Here's the trick. Here’s how we know they’re lying and we know they’re cheating. This case is still in Federal Court in El Paso. And just last month, the Republicans who drew these maps said, ‘hey, we drew these maps and they were race neutral. It had nothing to do with race.
And now, Trump and his Justice Department said, ‘Oh, no, no, these districts were drawn with race.’ My questions is who’s lying? Did a state senator under oath in a federal courtroom lie, or is Trump’s politicized Department of Justice lying? “
Shifting sands to the horror stories of wild-west style ICE raids all over the country, Texas being no exception, keep in mind the following context: On January 31, 2025, ICE surrounded the home of Juan Ramon HernandezLimon—a former DACA recipient—alongside his wife and 1-year-old daughter. Agents used tear gas and deployed an armored vehicle to force entry— despite the presence of a small child—raising alarms about excessive force against a non-violent individual
When I questioned Trey about reports of individuals being manhandled, beaten,
even shot, some of whom turned out to be American citizens, he responded indignantly.
“Never before have we seen [such unlawful] treatment of fellow citizens. Now, the questions of immigration, border security, those are all fair questions. But the presumption is that if we treat people like human beings, people have rights in this country, even if they’re not from this country, they have rights and we follow the rules.
Roughing up people, intimidating people, these bullying scare tactics, there’s no place for that in our society. Moreover, a city like San Antonio that’s been built on the backs of immigrants, we ought to have respect and humanity for everyone.”
In Kerr County, at least 103 people have died in the July 4-7, 2025 flash floods. Across Central Texas, over 129 people lost their lives, and roughly 170 remain missing. With the clock running out, I had time for one last question, and I opened the door to a commentary by Trey on FEMA’s role in relation to the catastrophic flooding in and around Kerrville, Texas.
“You know, here’s what I find ironic, you know, you have from President
Trump to Governor Abbott criticizing federal responses with FEMA and the National Weather Service. You have Greg Abbott sitting on a federal commission designed to get rid of FEMA.
Texas, in the last ten years, is the third largest recipient of federal FEMA dollars, right behind Louisiana and Florida, we are number three. Seven billion dollars over the last ten years. So it takes a certain set of, well, what President Clinton calls ‘brass’ to be critical of an agency that has given you seven billion dollars over the last ten years.
And here’s the end of the day, we need a federal response. We cannot have fifty states doing their own thing. As big as we are in Texas, as much resources as we have, as much as we like to brag, we just had a major flood event that cost hundreds of lives. We can’t handle it. We need one federal response, we need to fund them well, and we need to, like, get people out of the way so they can do their job.”
For those readers who wish to learn more about Representative Trey Martinez Fischer’s work in the Texas legislature and in the greater-San Antonio area, you may visit his website at https://treymartinezfischer. com.
Por Franco
Softball Kings Derrotó A Raw Dogs Y Bad News Bears
Softball Kings del manager y jugador Héctor “Papo” Garza y el coach y también jugador John Santos, consiguieron dos importantes victorias en el circuito Perfect Game Softball League con sede en el Kennedy Sports Complex.
Donde se juega cada día
viernes la temporada de verano con la participación de equipos integrados por valiosos softbolistas en la categoría abierta del Slow Pitch Softball.
Papo Garza, pitcher estelar con la ayuda de sus compañeros y las estrategias del coach Santos, celebraron victoria por blanqueada de 24-0
ante los Raw Dogs, que antes de ser “noqueados”, lograron dar un imparable a la serpentina de Garza, quien al final fue felicitado por sus compañeros y ellos a la vez, extendieron el saludo deportivo a su gran rival.
En el segundo encuentro Sóftbol Kings, tuvo resistencia defensiva y ofensiva del rival Bad News Bears, que le estuvieron dando pelea al lanzador derecho Sergio Treviño, quien con el apoyo de sus compañeros logró quedarse con el triunfo con pizarra de 17-8 carreras.
Treviño, ante Raw Dogs aumentó su marca personal tras conectar pavoroso jonrón.
“Ambas victorias se lograron con el plan defensivo y ofensiva, bien ejecutado por todos. Esperamos continuar en la misma forma, por lo qué agradecemos el apoyo de todos ellos”, indicaron los directivos Garza y Santos.
Al final de la jornada softbolera, Softball Kings, celebraron en grande y a la vez agradecieron el respaldo de sus familiares y seguidores. En las fotos aparecen acciones de jugadores y directivos con imagen exclusiva del equipo captadas por Franco, quien es jugador honorario y voluntario en el departamento de Social Media Softball Kings.
My Fond Memories In The LMT
By J. Gilberto Quezada
Just hot off the press! I am very honored and proud to share with you my story about living at 801 Zaragoza Street in Laredo, Texas that was published today in the Laredo Morning Times (LMT) by Malena Charur, the Educational Journalist for the LMT. She did an excellent job, and I am eternally grateful for her excellent work. And I do hope you enjoy reading this personal story and the eight photographs.
Memories of family and history resurface as Laredo parking lot replaces old home
By Malena Charur
Originally published for the Laredo Morning Times on July 14, 2025
A recent groundbreaking ceremony at 801 Zaragoza St., where a parking lot will be built, stirred fond memories for a Laredo resident who lived at that address from the late 1950s to the early 1970s.
Webb County Precinct 4
Commissioner Ricardo Jaime held a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday for the 801 Zaragoza Parking Lot Project in downtown Laredo, which will benefit the community — especially veterans at American Legion Post 59 — who will have extra parking in the foreseeable future.
For J. Gilberto Quezada — a Laredo resident, educator and writer who used to live at that address and now resides in San Antonio — news of the parking lot was nostalgic. It brought back fond memories of his family living there and historical accounts that claim Antonio López de Santa Anna may have slept in the house.
“We lived at 801 Zaragoza St. from the late 1950s to the early 1970s,” he said. “After the horrific flood of 1954, which knocked down the west wall of our modest two-room house located at 402
San Pablo Ave. — our house was across the street from the Zacate Creek — we ended up living at 210 Iturbide St., and then in 1958, we moved to a very old six-room stone house with a long screen porch at 801 Zaragoza St., at the corner of Zaragoza and Santa Ursula.”
He said the 801 Zaragoza St. house was next to American Legion Post 59.
“We were now two blocks away from St. Augustine School, a move that we definitely liked not only because of the proximity to the school we attended but also because downtown was just a few blocks away,” he said.
He said the original rectangular stone house, built around the late 1790s or early 1800s, consisted of four small rooms in a row with very high ceilings, and the walls on the inside and outside of the house were about two feet thick and fronted Zaragoza Street.
“The front of the house only had one window, which was added when the house was remodeled, and three double wooden doors eight feet high,” he said. “The east wall also only had one window. One of the doors was remodeled into a modern door in the 1930s, along with the addition of a bathroom, kitchen, screen porch and floor.
“To the rear of the house was a small backyard on a very high cliff overlooking the Río Grande and Nuevo Laredo.”
Quezada said when his family moved in, he was in the eighth grade and his mother told him she had heard stories from neighbors and previous tenants that Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna had slept in that house on his way to San Antonio in 1836.
“Well, not knowing any better, naturally I believed my mother, and consequently, I told my classmates about this fantastic story,” he said.
“It was not until I was attending St. Mary's University, studying and cataloging the Laredo Archives under the tutelage and supervision of Miss Carmen Perry, that I found out differently: Gen. Santa Anna could not have stayed in Laredo and in our house in 1836 because when he went to San Antonio de Bejar to fight at the Alamo, he did not travel through Laredo. He went to San Antonio de Bejar by way of the Upper Camino Real, from Mexico City–San Luis Potosí–Saltillo–Monclova–Presidio del Río Grande (close to Eagle Pass)–San Antonio de Bejar.”
He added that he found out 23 years earlier, in 1813, Gen. Joaquín de Arredondo and his army stayed in Laredo for a few days and took the Lower Camino Real to San Antonio de Bejar.
“In Gen. Arredondo's army was a young lieutenant by the name of Antonio López de Santa Anna,” he said. “It is plausible that when Gen. Arredondo and his army spent the nights in Laredo, they could have stayed in the house and in the other stone houses close to and surrounding the Plaza de San Agustín.
“Afterward, the Royalist Army under the command of Gen. Arredondo marched toward San Antonio de Bejar and confronted the Republican Army of Gen. José Álvarez de Toledo y Dubois on Aug. 18, 1813, at the Battle of Medina.”
Quezada said his parents lived there until the early 1970s, when he took them to live in San Antonio. He added that the house was regrettably demolished in the mid-1980s.
“Otherwise, the house would still be standing and it would have been included as an important part of the Villa de San Agustín Historic District, which encompasses the area where the house once stood,” he said. “By 1980, the house had been abandoned for some time
since I moved my parents to San Antonio in the early 1970s.”
He said even now he can still picture the backyard and the Río Grande flowing gently in the background.
“Living in this historic house for 11 years gave me a sense of history. If only the walls could talk. I felt like I was reliving the past just by being able to inhale that nostalgic ambience of the thick walls, the high doors and the whole character of an old house,” he said. “It was not a big house and my parents maximized the compact space to the fullest, making each room as multi-purpose as possible. All in all, we found comfort, coziness and love by learning to live in close proximity to each other. I do miss that old historic house.”
He added that even though the house was listed as an integral part of the San Agustín de Laredo Historic District and included in the National Register of Historic Places inventory, it was demolished and remained a vacant lot for a very long time.
“When we were living there Mama made sure we had a ‘home,’ with lots of affection, love, care and compassion and three complete meals every day,” he said. “Our home was filled with God's love, mercy and blessings, and we never uttered a complaint. I wish Mama was alive so that I could tell her how much I love her and how much I appreciate all the sacrifices and hard work she did for us so that we could eat, dress and live like royalty.”
Luis Lopez: Borderlands Artist Looks Forward to His Exhibit in Mexico
By Ricardo Romo PhD.
Borderland artist Luis Lopez moved from Laredo, Texas to San Antonio nearly 50 years ago to pursue his passion for creating art. Over the past five decades, Lopez has received recognition on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border for his diverse and transformative body of work, including paintings, murals, mosaics, and largescale metal public sculptures.
Lopez divides his painting time between his studios in Texas and Tampico. A recent exhibit, “Mutations,” opened on April 26, 2025 at the Espacio Cultural Metropolitano in Tampico. Lopez’s new work presents a powerful visual narrative exploring borderland themes of migration, identity, and evolution through a series of expressive and thoughtprovoking paintings.
Since the mid 1970s, Lopez has been building an extensive artistic career in the United States and more recently in Mexico where he continues to explore transnational cultural exchanges and the complexities of the immigrant experience. The exhibition “Mutations” in Tampico, Mexico draws from López’s personal journey and creative evolution, offering viewers a deeply reflective and resonant experience.
Born in 1954 in Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, Lopez was raised in the rural Mexican borderlands in a family of subsistence
farmers and goat herders. As a child, he lived in an ejido—a village formed under a Mexican land reform program initiated after the Revolution of 1910, designed to provide communal land for working-class families. Although he showed promise in school, Lopez’s formal education ended in the eighth grade due to family labor needs.
Lopez’s art journey in San Antonio began at the city’s historic Market Square in 1976, when he was mentored by Latino artist Armando Sanchez. Lopez learned about larger art construction by assisting renowned artist Jesus Garza in painting the first mural in the Mexican restaurant Mi Tierra. He worked long hours in the restaurant but also built connections with the Cortez family, owners of several iconic San Antonio restaurants.
In San Antonio, Lopez initially took on a range of working-class jobs—from sign painting to dishwashing
and waiting tables. By the mid-1980s, Lopez was selling art in Armando Sanchez’s art shop and creating original paintings depicting San Antonio landmarks. Maya Angelou was among his early collectors. Her repeated patronage deeply encouraged Lopez, who remained touched when her estate reached out after her passing to verify the authenticity of his work.
Over a nearly 50 year career, Lopez’s artistic style has ranged from figurative and impressionistic to abstract and surrealism. His preferred mediums include oil and acrylic painting, sculpture, mosaics, and metalwork. His paintings often represent images of Mexican heritage, Tejano culture, environmental issues, and community as well as borderland themes.
In 1991, a major opportunity arrived when Continental Floral Greens, a company that produced decorative ferns, commissioned Lopez
to paint large oil landscapes as holiday gifts for clients. The financial success of this venture allowed him to leave the restaurant jobs and build a home and studio in San Antonio.
Among Lopez’s most recognized pieces is Orgullo Tejano (Tejano Pride), a 14-foot-tall mosaic and steel sculpture of a well-known Tejano accordion player, Esteban Jordan, near Old Highway 90 and SW 37th Street. The work honors the legacy of conjunto and Tejano music. After interviewing Lopez at his home, Harriett and I drove to the deep Westside of San Antonio to see the Tejano Pride sculpture. It is well placed on Highway 90, a
mere half block from the famed Bravo Records store, a location that Flaco and Santiago Jimenez, Esteban Jordan, and other Tejano musicians frequented to buy records. A smaller version of Tejano pride is featured at the San Antonio River Walk Public Art Garden. The image was also depicted on the official City of San Antonio 2024 Fiesta Medal.
Lopez has painted murals for San Antonio College, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and prominent Mexican restaurants, including the beloved “Los Mariachis” mural at La Margarita Restaurant in the San Antonio Mercado.
In recent years, Lopez has focused on large-scale
Luis Lopez, "Forgotten Song." Photo by Ricardo Romo.
metal sculpture. His works include pieces for the Metro Hospital and the San Antonio College Planetarium. This shift marks a new phase in his career, where sculpture becomes a medium to reach broader audiences and tackle complex themes.
In 2006, Lopez founded La Casa Rosa Art Studio in Tobin Hill, which reopened in 2024 with the exhibit
Mutations showcasing his
most recent work. The studio functions as a workspace, gallery, and community hub supporting emerging local artists.
Lopez’s works are included in private collections, museums, and public spaces throughout San Antonio and beyond. He is widely recognized for his contributions to the city’s cultural landscape and his role in celebrating Latino,
Mexican, and Tejano heritage through public art. Through it all, Lopez remains deeply connected to his roots, dividing his time between Casa Rosa in San Antonio and a mountaintop villa, Casa Verde, that he built in El Chorrito, Tamaulipas between the towns of Linares and Ciudad Victoria.
On a recent visit with Lopez at his Casa Rosa home near San Antonio College, Harriett and I learned about his preparation for an upcoming exhibit of “Mutations” at the Museo Leonora Carrington in Xilitla [San Luis Potosí City], the first museum dedicated to the renowned Mexican surrealist artist, Leonora Carrington. The museum is located inside the historic Centro de las Artes de San Luis Potosí. It is a former penitentiary transformed into a vibrant cultural center. Ideas for many of the “Mutations” paintings came to Lopez during COVID19 when he watched the media news about virus mutations and realized that people themselves experienced cultural “mutations” as did society as a whole during this frightening period.
Luis Lopez, “Esperando la alborada." Courtesy of the artist.
Luis Lopez, "Tiempo de vacas gordas." Photo courtesy of the artist.
Luis Lopez, “Orlgullo Tejano" [Texas Pride]. Photo by Ricardo Romo.
Luis Lopez, "Orgullo tejano!" San Antonio River Walk. Photo courtesy of the artist.
La Estrella de ‘Superman’, María Gabriela de Faría, se Convierte en Heroína de la
Vida Real al Adoptar una Mascota Durante un Evento de Estreno en Miami
Foto por Alexander
Tamargoa
La actriz venezolana
María Gabriela de Faría, quien interpreta a The Engineer en la nueva película de Superman, asumió el papel de heroína en la vida real la semana pasada cuando adoptó un perro rescatado durante un evento especial de proyección de la película de Warner Bros. Discovery en Miami. Jude, un cachorro mestizo de Schnauzer de cinco meses, fue uno de los dos perros adoptables del Departamento de Servicios para Animales del Condado de Miami-Dade que asistieron al evento junto a Best Friends Animal Society, una organización nacional líder en bienestar animal dedicada a salvar las vidas de perros y gatos en los albergues de Estados Unidos.
Inspirados por el fiel
compañero de Superman, Krypto el Superperro, WBD y Best Friends se unieron en una poderosa colaboración para ayudar a que las mascotas en albergues encuentren hogares amorosos. Como parte de una campaña nacional multifacética para generar conciencia sobre los animales adoptables y eliminar barreras a la adopción, la iniciativa incluyó un evento de adopción a nivel nacional previo al estreno de Superman. Del 1 al 10 de julio, WBD cubrió los costos de adopción en las ubicaciones de Best Friends y albergues asociados en todo el país, alentando a los fans a convertirse en héroes reales al adoptar una mascota necesitada.
Desde la alfombra roja, De Faría expresó su entusiasmo por combinar
el estreno de Superman con su pasión por apoyar la adopción de mascotas.
“Esta película de Superman fue inspirada por el perro del director
James Gunn, Ozu, un perro rescatado que le cambió la vida”, dijo De Faría. “Para mí es un sueño poder mezclar una película tan grande e importante con algo que significa tanto para mí en lo personal”.
Jude se une a los dos gatos rescatados que María Gabriela adoptó previamente mientras filmaba en Colombia.
“Celebramos la historia de adopción de María Gabriela de Faría y Jude”, dijo
Julie Castle, directora ejecutiva de Best Friends Animal Society. “En todo el país, gatos y perros adoptables están buscando a sus propios
superhéroes y creemos que todos ellos merecen un final heroico como el de Jude. Esperamos que esta historia inspire a personas en todo el país a usar sus superpoderes para salvar vidas”.
En 2024, casi 1,200 perros y gatos fueron sacrificados cada día en albergues del país simplemente por no tener un hogar. Las personas pueden marcar una diferencia vital al elegir adoptar de su albergue local. Para obtener más información sobre Best Friends o encontrar un albergue cercano, visita salvaunamascota.org
Best Friends Animal Society es una organización líder en bienestar animal dedicada a salvar las vidas de perros y gatos en los albergues de Estados Unidos y a lograr que todo el país sea no-kill. Fundada en 1984, Best Friends opera instalaciones y programas de salvamento en todo el país en asociación con más de 5,000 albergues y organizaciones de rescate. Desde nuestra sede en Kanab, Utah, también administramos el santuario no-kill más grande del país, un destino que da vida a nuestra misión para miles de visitantes cada año. Mantenemos la base de datos más completa sobre albergues de animales en el país y la hacemos accesible al público, brindando a las comunidades información crítica sobre las necesidades de sus albergues locales y cómo pueden ayudar. Creemos que todos los perros y gatos merecen un hogar. Y creemos que, si trabajamos juntos, podemos Salvarlos a Todos®.
Singer-songwriter, filmmaker, actress, real estate agent, and former model, Patricia Vonne, born Patricia Vonne Rodríguez, grew up in the historic Monte Vista neighborhood of central San Antonio. She has a prodigious nine brothers and sisters, many of whom are also artists, and she learned at an early age to take solace in the lonesome strumming of a guitar. Today, her band is probably the best “rootsrock” group this side of the Brazos River.
Her vocals are melodically on par with Joan Baez or Linda Ronstadt, except that she rarely covers songs, and usually composes either solo or in tandem with local Texan artists such as her dear friend Michael Martin. The pair worked together to bring to life one of the most wonderous tunes of our generation, a tragicomic, sonorous fairytale they call, “El
Marinero y La Sirena” (“The Sailor and the Mermaid.”)
Ms. Vonne also created a stop motion animated film to enhance the audience’s musical experience, inspired by her reading of the tales of Hans Christian Andersen while touring in his hometown of Odense, Denmark. It tells the story of a sailor, enthralled with a mermaid, who is forced to walk the plank in shark infested waters; but who is rescued by the mermaid who corresponds to his love.
“I co-wrote the song with my fellow San Antonian Michael Martin. I asked him to write the lyrics from the sailor’s perspective. His songs have nautical themes so I felt it would be perfect to co-write with him. I also knew that he was a master illustrator, so my idea was to accompany the song with animation using our original drawings and to use stop motion photography. He drew the sailor and I drew everything else, and I shot
and edited it as well. It was so much fun.
humorously fit the nautical theme,” says Patricia.
I used watercolor backgrounds for each scene and cut out each drawing so that they could move … the mermaid, the shark, the pirate ship, sea animals, the octopus, etc. It was my very first animation and I was having trouble using a tripod, so I ended up shooting without one –hence the choppy nature of my attempt. But I felt it
Her efforts paid off. The film went on to win the Audience Award for Best Animation in 2015 at Cine Las Americas International Film Festival.
It also inspired her to continue creating music videos using similar techniques. More recent projects have garnered Best Animation at The
Madrid International Film Festival (2017), Excellent Animation three years in a row at The San Francisco New Concept International Film Festival, and El Rey Prize for Best Animation in Barcelona, along with multiple official selections in Paris, France.
You may follow Ms. Vonne’s music and her band on their engagements all over the globe at www. patriciavonne.com.
¡Viaje por el centro por solo
1.30
Es más fácil que nunca dejar su auto en un solo lugar y explorar el Centro, Pearl o Southtown. Ya sea que esté almorzando, de compras o visitando el Álamo, puede hacerlo todo sin la molestia de conducir, según su horario, por solo $1.30.
Simplemente descargue la aplicación VIA Link para reservar su viaje.
VIAinfo.net/link
Los Rieleros Festejaron A Chuy Carmona El Caminante Campeón De Bateo .482
Por Sendero Deportivo
El ex campeón Rieleros con sus directivos y jugadores
Juan Sánchez, Servando Hernández, Ramiro Morales y Gabriel Morales, tras su importante victoria de 6-4 carreras ante Rangers del Venado Benito Martínez y su coach Ruperto Ortega, le festejaron su cumpleaños al socio Jesús “Chuy” Carmona, quien agradeció sus muestras de amistad y a la vez disfrutó deliciosos platillos.
José Cardona “El Che”, ganó el partido, siendo también felicitado, por su trabajo en la lomita de los disparos,
donde superó al abridor
Jorge Morales y al relevista
Ervey Vela.
“Gran juego íbamos 3-1 hasta el séptimo episodio.
Rieleros nos superaron en gran partido”, dijo El Venado
Martínez. “Persistencia y Rieleros fue mejor esta vez ante la adversidad”, agregó el coach y jugador Servando Hernández.
Yankees doblegó a Los Rojos 7-2, con victoria del zurdo
Moisés Cervantes, con lo que siguen invictos al cierre de la segunda vuela categoría
Masters 50+ Liga Potranco, de acuerdo a datos aportados por José Sánchez, narrador y
compilador oficial.
Rol de juegos domingo 20 de julio campo 2 estadio Potranco. 11am Reds vs Rangers. 2pm Yankees vs Astros. Rieleros descansan. En el playoff categoría Abierta dominical temporada dedicada a los esposos
Linda y Roberto Garza (patrocinadores del Campeón Potros), Chuy Ramírez y Freddy García, Maceteros de Edwin Ortiz Jr., se clasificó a semifinales derrotando 8-1 a Orioles. El campeón Potros del artista Eloy Rocha, con su manager y jugador Víctor Mercedes “El Caminante “, con espectacular apoyo del jardinero izquierdo Nica Castañeda, quien realizó grandes atrapadas y estuvo bien en el bateo, seguido por sus compañeros se adjudicaron el primero de la serie a ganar 2 de 3 partidos contra Cachorros de Martín Rodríguez y el coach-jugador
Cristian Arzola.
El Caminante aportó bateo de un jonrón con uno abordó para pizarra de 11-7, finalizó con marca de un jonrón, doblete. Tres bases por bolas y 5 carreras producidas. A la vez recibió la buena noticia de haber sido declarado campeón bateador de la temporada regular con promedio de .482 esto de acuerdo a publicación del presidente Simón Sánchez en su plataforma digital.
Por Cachorros Memo Frausto, el magnate del
club “Pericos”, jugó gran defensiva en la pradera central, siendo aplaudido por aficionados que observaron el cerrado partido detrás de la barda. Rol de juegos a las 10:30am estadio Potranco se miden Potros vs Cachorros. 2pm Cardenales vs Diablos. En las fotos aparecen: Chuy Carmona, sexto de izquierda a derecha dé Rieleros. El Caminante en foto de cortesía. Manny Sosa, de Yankees anotando ante Los Rojos. (Fotos de Franco).
LEGENDARY ACTOR MATTHEW MODINE WITH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
By Jennifer Petrini
The 31st annual San Antonio Film Festival (SAFILM) returns a bit earlier this year, with a bigger slate of pictures screening Tuesday, July 22 through Sunday, July 27 across four theater venues in the Alamo City. Over 200 movies, including features, shorts, documentaries, student, international and local films will screen in competition during the six-day celebration of cinema, honoring legendary actor and producer Matthew Modine with a Lifetime Achievement Award and Shaquille O’Neill with the Texas Yanaguana Award. “We’re bringing the festival experience to a theatre near you!” shares Founder & Executive Director Adam Rocha, announcing the addition of two new screening locations included in this year’s expanded festival program. “Our new partnership with EVO Entertainment in Schertz opens up a whole new audience of film-lovers to come out and watch movies in the region. Plus we’re over at the Malu & Carlos Alvarez Theater at Texas Public Radio this year in addition to Radius and Tobin Center. We’ll have a total of six screens going at one time.”
Opening SAFILM 2025 on Tuesday, July 22, 2025 are two spotlight feature films and a block of thriller shorts with casts & crews in attendance:
● The Wasps - Executive Produced by Richard Linklater - a musical comedy set in ancient Athens, written and directed by Jake Binstock and Parker Rouse (nod to Aristophanes in the writing credits) will screen at 7pm on Tuesday, July 22 at EVO Entertainment Schertz
● The Compatriots, directed by Spencer Cohen (in attendance) will also screen at 7pm on Tuesday, July 22 at the Radius Center, starring Rafael Silva, Denis Shepherd, and Caroline Portu, in a timely and heartfelt story of friendship between an undocumented immigrant facing deportation and his long-lost best friend. Watch Trailer HERE.
● SHORTS: The Real Thrill will screen at 9pm at Radius Center, featuring Annie's Movie directed by Nuutti Aleksis; Not Today, Not Tomorrow directed by Neil Miguel Watson; Killer Chances directed by Chris York; People Walk Dogs Late at Night in the Suburbs directed by Drake Wootton;Criminal Intentions, directed by Zandrea Evans; TEN of SWORDS, directed by: Cortney Michael Long
The 31st edition of SAFILM - San Antonio Film Festival kicks off the celebration on Tuesday with the 2nd Annual Filmmaker Coffee Talk, a networking mixer sponsored by San Antonio Film Commission, welcoming VIPS, pass holders, filmmakers, industry guests and the local community for
a complimentary reception from 3pm-5pm at Radius Center, followed by the Opening Night Red Carpet, spotlight feature films and Opening Night After Party at 1 Watson Rooftop on top of AC Hotel, San Antonio Riverwalk.
Legendary Actor and Producer Matthew Modine will be in attendance for the documentary feature, I Hope this Helps! on Friday, July 25 at 9:30pm at the Tobin Center. SAFILM will host a special presentation before the screening, honoring Modine’s extraordinary career with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Modine will also join Sal Lopez for a special Industry Panel: FULL METAL JACKET Reunion moderated by Elizabeth Avelian on Saturday, July 26 at 12:30pm -2:30pm at the Carlos Alvarez Theater, Tobin Center. Screenwriting Panel: Made in San Antonio! will be held at 10am on Saturday, featuring screenwriters with roots in the Alamo City: Marcella Ochoa (My Name is Maria De Jesus), Richard Dane Scott (A Tooth Fairy Tale), and T. Barclay Spaugh (Field Afire), moderated by Patty Sandoval Sralla, co-founder of the local San Antonio Screenwriters Guild.
SAFILM Festival Badges are offered for VIP, Student, Weekend and Day access and includes entry to all film screenings, VIP/Filmmaker Lounge from 5pm-7pm with
hosted drinks and bites, exclusive invites to nightly After-Parties, and the annual Red Carpet Awards Ceremony on Sunday, July 27, honoring Shaquille O’Neill with the Texas Yanaguana Award.
For All-Access Badges, Individual Movie Tickets & SAFILM info: www.safilm. com
ROCHA:
THE ADAM ROCHA STORY
Directed by Raymond Ramos
Wed., July 23, 12:30 p.m.
Tobin Center: McLaughlin Rotunda
PLOT: This isn't just a San Antonio story; it’s one that begins in San Antonio and has rippled across the creative world. Adam Rocha has inspired and guided countless artists toward their creative destinations.
A SAVAGE ART
Directed by Bill Banowsky
Thurs., July 24, 7 p.m.
EVO Entertainment Schertz PLOT: Chronicles the life and career of Australian-born, Pulitzer Prize winning political cartoonist Patrick Oliphant. His tenure as an American cartoonist spanned five decades and ten U.S. Presidents. In 1990 The New York Times called Oliphant “the most influential editorial cartoonist now working.” The film covers the history and importance of political cartoons in global democracies, as well as the decline in the profession and in the newspaper industry. It also highlights the effects of extreme political partisanship on media and editorial cartooning, and shows how Oliphant used his biting wit, sharp critical eye and masterful drawing skills to take on presidents, popes and the powers that be.
