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Yesterday’s election delivered a clear outcome but a divided reaction: voters approved the publicly funded basketball arena proposal. For many residents, the result raises more questions than celebration. San Antonio is a city of 1.5 million people, yet nearly one in five lives below the poverty line. Many who wrote to La Prensa Texas before the vote argued that the city’s limited tax dollars should focus on affordable housing, healthcare access, and better-paying jobs, not another sports venue.“Millionaires are seeking public funding for another facility while families can barely keep a roof over their heads,” one reader wrote. “We need homes, not handouts for the rich.” Despite passionate opposition, the arena measure passed—helped by promises of economic development, temporary construction jobs, and a projected boost to tourism. Supporters say the project will generate revenue and put San Antonio on the national sports map. Critics counter that similar promises have been made before and rarely benefit the neighborhoods most in need. With the proposal approved, attention now turns to transparency and accountability. How much will taxpayers actually pay? What community benefits will be guaranteed—living-wage jobs, local hiring, or neighborhood investment? And who will ensure those commitments are met once the ribbon-cutting is over? As the city moves forward, it’s essential that leaders remember who they serve. The arena may be built with concrete and steel, but the foundation of any great city is its people—and too many of them are still waiting for real opportunity. Did you vote for or against the arena project? Do you believe public money should fund private sports facilities?
What should San Antonio’s priorities be moving forward—economic growth or social equity?
Gregorio De La Paz: “For The Spurs and San Antonio's economy”
Anthony Soto: “They made a mistake building it over there despite the good intentions.”
Antonio. The money that will be used can't be used on streets, housing, or feeding the poor. The money will create new jobs, funding for street schools. With NO NEW TAXES FOR TAXPAYERS. VOTE YES.”
Hubert Hill: “I voted yes for Prop A and B. No taxes for SA residents. Hundreds of new jobs for San Antonians. Better economy and we keep the Spurs. It is a no brainer!”
Fernando Velazquez: “You won’t get any of those jobs by not building an entertainment district”
Bernie Cantu: “I voted NO !!!!!”
Jim Danner: “Vote yes!!!!”
Emiliano Romero: “The money by law cannot be spent for those purposes, nor is it diverted from those specific uses “
Lauren Browning: “Yes. For these reasons and more, I’m a Yes on both props too”
Kathy Vale: “.Please DO NOT CONFLATE ‘PFZ’ City of San Antonio monies with Bexar County ‘VENUE TAX HOT’ monies — The Bexar County Proposition B is a County VENUE TAX INCREASE BALLOT MEASURE. Venue Taxes can pay for a whole helluva lot of other things besides a professional sports stadium and convention center. Look what the Bexar County Voter-Approved Venue Tax increase PAID FOR IN 2008 IN SAN ANTONIO”
Fernando Velazquez: “Many don’t understand that”
Dorian Joel Castro: “I voted Yes. The Frost Center is a nice venue, but when anyone walks out it is very dark and depressing! There is absolutely nothing entertaining around for people to enjoy before or after the games. I’ve been to many other NBA arenas in the United States and it’s sad to say that San Antonio has a very depressing and embarrassing one. No business wants to build in that demographic area… despite the “promises” of city council to build and attract it is solely up to the business to build there and that is not favorable.”
Rob Gonzales: “you can't use those funds for purposes other than entertainment”
JC El Leon: “Agree 100%they should invest on resources for water in San Antonio , didn’t they say the same when they built the ATT center , but before that was the Alamo , but fore that was the coliseum, not they want another to please the rich , incest all of that money on ways to save the water for future generations.”
Erich Schmitt: “No reason to use our taxes for a sports team!”
Carlos Ordones: “I understand yalls opinion about the money needing go else where.i saw the food drive on the news last night and people going to get stuff had nice suvs and trucks .like silverados.f150.if you can afford that you can work or figure out a way. I've been disabled 15 + years.i was offered housing and food stamps.i lived on housing for 8 years.people where I lived bbqed everyday and drank.bought nice e cars with their icone taxes.i left housing hustled to get my litte house.that I pay for without housing.i do lawns for the extra income. I have bone on bone cracked disc.i did it.im tired of hearing about giving to the less fortunate. All they do is take advantage of the system.this generation are just lazy asses.”
Timothy Lambert Donovon: “ I think it's obvious. Stop wasting money on BS that only makes the rich richer and start investing in things that will benefit the total community.”
Ben Briseno: “This is only part of the funding. The Spurs will put up $500 million plus any cost overruns. The city will pass a bond that will be paid by the Spurs paying rent for using the arena. The work “rent” should tell you who will own the arena. The city, NOT the Spurs. FYI - the Frost Bank Center is owned by Bexar County & the Rodeo. The Spurs pay rent to use it. That’s why they have the Rodeo road trip in February
John Winfield: “Vote Yes, for the future of San
Timothy Lambert Donovan: “HELL NO !!! Use that money for better jobs, cheaper housing ,and feeding the hungry.”
Kathy Vale: “ It is an easy deal for Spurs. If they had to *buy* 13-acre ITC property from UTSA, they would own and build the stadium and then WOULD HAVE TO PAY SAN ANTONIO PROPERTY TAX AND INSURANCE PROTECTIONS. We gave them the sweetheart deal and they are STILL WHINING! Let’s remember Peter Holt’s failed promises in 2002”
By Dr. Ricardo Romo
Angelica Raquel’s multidisciplinary practice emerges from a profound engagement with the cultural traditions and familial histories that shaped her formative years in Laredo, Texas, a city at the crossroads of borderland identities. Positioned as a contemporary generational storyteller, Raquel draws on a rich well of folklore, oral histories, and intimate family narratives— particularly those shared by her late grandfather— to craft evocative visual stories that negotiate the tensions and continuities between past and present. Central to her work is the reimagination of leyendas (legends), through which she explores overarching themes of morality, societal transformation, and the complex relationships between humans, nature, and unseen spiritual forces. These narratives are not only cultural artifacts but living prisms through which Raquel interrogates identity and community. Women figure prominently throughout her oeuvre as potent and protective archetypes—magical
guardians who contend with and repel harmful influences. These figures, drawn from both personal and collective memory, underscore the pivotal role of women in sustaining cultural resilience and continuity.
Raquel’s work is marked by a sophisticated interplay of media and craft traditions—painting, drawing, metal tooling, felting, and rug hooking— all of which reflect her deep commitment to Latin American folk art techniques. By revitalizing
these traditional crafts within a contemporary framework, she imbues them with new narrative vitality, transforming physical materials into palpable forms of cultural memory. This synthesis of oral storytelling and tactile craft forms is often extended through her immersive installations, where the inclusion of spoken word poetry enriches the narrative dimension and invites viewers into a multisensory experience.
Educated with an MFA from The University of Texas at San Antonio (2020) and a BFA from Texas State University (2016), Raquel occupies a critical space in contemporary art as both creator and educator. She currently lectures at the University of the Incarnate Word and previously has taught at Incarnate Word High School and UTSA. Her work has been nationally recognized through exhibitions at venues such as Houston’s Lawndale Art
Center and the Museum of the Southwest in Midland, Texas.
Through her richly layered practice, Angelica Raquel offers a compelling dialogue between ancestral memory, cultural identity, and present-day artistic inquiry. Her art invites reflection on the enduring power of tradition, the capacities of storytelling, and the ways in which craft manifests as a language of survival, transformation, and hope in the modern world.
The City’s Department of Human Services and Metro Health are distributing gift cards to families in several city programs. The city will hand out $150 HEB gift cards to 10,000 residents over the next three weeks after funding for federal food stamps came to a halt during the government shutdown. The city’s Human Services Department and Metropolitan Health District are running the distribution. The city prioritized low-income seniors and households with young children. To be eligible as a senior, you must be enrolled in a Senior Center in Bexar County and are receiving SNAP benefits. The Senior Centers are not taking new applications currently. You must have been en-
rolled before Monday of this week.
COUNTY SENIOR CENTERS IN PCT. 4
GRASP SENIOR CENTERS
210 658-3578
NORTHEAST
SENIOR CENTER
210 207-4590
KIRBY SENIOR CENTER
210 666-5124
SOUTH
210
207 619-1974
DISTRICT 2
SENIOR CENTER
210 207-5390
210 207-5380
By Ramón Hernández
Latinos were the first to discover, explore and settle in the Americas. As a teenage student, everyone learned that Italian explorer Cristoforo Colombo, who most of us know as Cristóbal Colón or Christopher Columbus, discovered the Novo Mundo (New World) in 1492. However, he never set foot on this continent.
In 1497, Italian navigator and explorer Giovanni Caboto became the earliest known explorer of coastal North America since the Norse visits to Vineland in the eleventh century. However, history books cite his name as John Cabot to hide the fact that he was a Latino. Next, Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci who explored the coastlines of what is now Texas, Mexico, Central America and kept on going around the coastline to Brazil is also believed to have journeyed as far south as what is now Argentina. He also sailed along the Atlantic coast of what today is known as Florida to Chesapeake Bay, Maryland over four voyages between 1497 to 1504.
Exploration by Vespucci and others fundamentally changed Europeans’ understanding
of the world. These expeditions revealed the existence of vast landmasses previously unknown to Europeans. In Europe, cartographer Martin Waldseemuller and Matthias Ringmann plus other scholars who were keenly interested in these new discoveries of land masses took all writings, mapped inputs plus logged documentation of this unknown continent and created an eight-foot wall map that was printed in 1507. Waldseemuller named the new continent America in honor of Amergo Vespucci. Today, this is one of the most famous and significant maps in history because it is considered to be the “Birth Certificate” of America. This is because it is the first known map to use the name “America” to label the New World.
In 2001, the United States Library of Congress acquired the map for $10 million. This acquisition made it one of the most expensive maps ever purchased. The map is now housed in the Library of Congress and is considered one of its most treasured possessions.
In 1507, what are now the modern-day countries of northern Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Gua-
temala, Belize, and central to southern Mexico, came to be known as Mesoamerica. And for 13,000 years this area was populated by indigenous groups such as the Olmec, Zapotec, Maya, Toltec, Purépecha, Teotihuacan, Chichimeca, Otomi and Mexica. The Aztecs, often referred to as the “People of Aztlán, originally migrated from what is now the southwestern United States around 1250 AD.
Furthermore, 100 years before the arrival of Spaniard Hernan Cortés set foot on this continent in 1519, the Aztecs, who were known for their rich culture and advanced society ruled. Most importantly, this continent was now officially America. Therefore, the indigenous peoples, whose roots go back 13 centuries, were the first Americans. Moreover, human presence in what is now Mexico City dates back to at least 8,000 years before Christ.
And while their religion practiced human sacrifice, they were advanced in architecture, art, astronomy, stone masonry and intricate stonework. They were also agricultural innovators with complex irrigation systems that had been developed for large scale cultivation.
Everyone that took history in middle and high school knows what came next, the Aztec Empire fell under combined forces of the Spanish conquistadors led by Hernán Cortes in 1521. This same year also marked the establishment of the colony of New Spain and the beginning of the Indigenous population to learn Spanish.
Think about it, the first European language to be spoken in America was Spanish. Also remember that it was Latinos (Italians, Spanish and later French and Portuguese) that discovered, explored and founded cities in the continents now known as South, Central and North America.
And tell me, what was the “First Permanent Settlement” in the United States? It was St. Augustine, Florida, founded by Spanish admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés in 1565. This settlement predates Jamestown and Plymouth Colony. That is why it is known as “America’s Oldest City. Thus, don’t let anyone tell you that we are not American because we are the original Americans. And if someone wants to play word games, here’s a simple comeback.
As an example, if you’re Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Ger-
man, Greek, English, Irish, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Turkish, Dutch or Russian, you are European.
If you are from China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, the Philippines or Vietnam, you are Asian.
The same principle should apply to those that hail from any country in the continents of South, Central and North America. We are all Americans. If someone is from Canada or Mexico, he or she is Canadian or Mexican. If this is the worldwide standard, then someone from this country should be called a UNITED STATIAN because AMERICA IS NOT A NATION. This is the United States OF (THE CONTINENT) America - actually North America.
I strongly believe this misnomer is being used to separate, divide, and exclude a select group based on origin, heritage and culture that the government does not want in this country.
Enough said. Now stand firm and proud with the knowledge that if your family’s roots are from any country in these three continents, you are a truly and legally a genuine American. Eres Americano.
El clásico entre los equipos Broncos y Piratas Abierta dominical Liga Potranco, cuya temporada se está jugando en honor del beisbolista George “Shamu” Calderón, la cual preside Simón Sánchez.
Fue bastante aplaudido por la noble afición y seguidores de los equipos Broncos de Reynosa SA de la presidenta Linda Garza y su esposo Roberto Garza, quienes le han confiado la dirección al timonel Martín Rodríguez, y Los Piratas
de Sabinas comandando por el novel timonel y jugador Iván Vaquera y el coach-jugador Mauricio Esparza (Malaka).
Esté encuentro se distinguió por el gran duelo entre los lanzadores estelares Leo Terán y Miguel Rondon, quienes al final del partido fueron relevados por Juan Rosa y Alex Soto respectivamente.
El partido ante gran asistencia en el campo 3, fue ganado por Broncos, que en la apertura del octavo episodio con las bases llenas con doblete
pegado por el receptor Jassiel Flores “El Morro”, puso la pizarra 3-0. Flores, ya había conectado extra base contra la cerca de jardín izquierdo sin corredores en base lo cual fue una “advertencia”. En la novena entrada no hubo carreras, Broncos de Reynosa SA se alzó ganador con pizarra de 3-0.
Piratas en la sexta fecha se quedó con marca de 5-1 y Broncos también con 5-1, empatados en el standing en primer lugar. Martín Rodríguez, con esa espectacular victoria logró coronar sus experiencias ganadoras de un partido de gran calidad beisbolera. Iván Vaquera, también logró un buen resultado ha nivel defensivo y en la ofensiva. Resultados; Diablos
doblegó a los Acereros SA 6-3. Texas Jay’s 8 White Sox 7. Dodgers 18 Yankees 1.
En categoría Masters 50+ cabe rectificar error en la pasada edición de La Prensa Texas, en la que por error la derrota se le adjudicó en el partido Rangers vs Los Rojos al campeón Carlos Cerda de Rojos, la cual fue para su compañero Abdon Orozco, quien en el cierre del séptimo capítulo con pizarra de 12-12 carreras y bases llenas concedió base por bolas para una pizarra final de 13-12 carreras a favor de Rangers y victoria para el relevista Papo Garza quien sacó los dos últimos outs.
Resultados categoría Masters 50+ temporada Erick Montes campo
corto del pentacampeón Yankees del manager y jugador Luis Velázquez. Astros de Pedro Espinoza doblegó 8-4 a Rangers, Gregg Carrera se llevó la victoria con relevo de Ubaldo Montelongo, la derrota fue para Hugo Méndez.
Yankees 11 Los Rojos 2, de Jimmy Martínez y los coaches Alacrán Galindo y Catarino Obregón, con victoria para Juan Martínez y derrota para Carlos Cerda “La Chiva”. Rol de juegos campo 2 Potranco Baseballs Field del artista Eloy Rocha. 11am Yankees Vs Rangers. 2pm Astros vs Los Rojos. En las fotos aparecen: Erick Montes y acción del partido Broncos vs Piratas. (Fotos de Franco).
Photos by Ricardo Romo
A new book, The Austin–San Antonio Megaregion: Opportunity and Challenge in the Lone Star State, was launched on Thursday,
Auditorium, 600 Soledad St. The free public event drew an engaged audience eager to learn about the future of Central Texas.
Co-authors Henry Cisneros, Robert Rivard, and David Hendricks discussed the region’s
for coordinated planning to meet increasing demands for housing, water, energy, and transportation.
Published by Texas A&M University Press, the book examines how the Austin–San Antonio corridor — spanning 13 counties and more than 5.2 million resi-
the nation’s largest emerging metropolitan areas. Projections suggest the population could reach 9.6 million by 2060.
Cisneros, former San Antonio mayor and U.S. Housing Secretary, previously co-authored The Texas Triangle. Rivard, a veteran journalist and podcast host, and
business editor, each shared insights from their decades of reporting on Texas’ growth and economy. Copies of the book were available for purchase and signing through The Twig Book Shop, with validated parking offered at the library garage.
J. gilberto Quezada
One morning when Jo Emma and I went on our regular walking around the walking track that is right across the street from our house, we started comparing notes when we first heard the term, "tatuaje," which is the Spanish translation of tattoo. For me, it was many years ago, when Jo Emma's uncle and his wife who lived in Monterrey, Mexico, came to San Antonio to visit Jo Emma's mother who was in the hospital. Jo Emma's mother and the wife of her uncle were sisters. He asked me if I could give him a ride to a shoe department store which I did and it was during this trip that he asked me in Spanish if I approved of the "tatuajes," that many young people were now sporting. My response to him was that I am totally against people wearing "tatuajes," maybe because when I was growing up in my beloved Barrio El Azteca, only very few of the lower class wore such tattoos on their arms. During the 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s, tattoos were not in fashion, on the contrary, the few people who wore them were seen as outcasts of society.
Tattoos in the United States have a long and layered history. They first gained visibility in the late 19th century (1890s), when sailors returned from overseas with inked souvenirs from Polynesia and Asia. These tattoos often symbolized bravery, travel,
or superstition. By the early 20th century, tattoo parlors began popping up in port cities like New York and San Francisco. However, tattoos remained largely associated with military men, circus performers, and criminals—far from mainstream acceptance.
During World War II, tattoos became a symbol of patriotism and camaraderie among soldiers. Names of loved ones, military insignias, and flags were common designs. But after the war, tattoos slipped back into the shadows, often linked to rebellion and counterculture. In the mid to late 1960s and 1970s, bikers, rock musicians, and anti-establishment groups embraced tattoos as a form of defiance. The art was raw, the ink often homemade, and the stigma persisted.
However, the 1980s and 1990s marked a turning point. Tattooing began to evolve into a respected art form. Artists like Ed Hardy and Leo Zulueta brought sophistication and cultural depth to the craft. Tattoo studios became cleaner, safer, and more professional. Television shows like Miami Ink and Ink Master further normalized tattoos, showcasing the creativity and personal stories behind each design. The word tatuajes began to carry less judgment and more curiosity.
En México, los tatuajes han recorrido un largo camino desde ser considerados símbolos de rebeldía o delincuencia hasta convertirse en expresiones legítimas de arte y cultura. Durante décadas, los tatuajes eran vistos con desconfianza, especialmente en comunidades conservadoras donde se asociaban con pandillas o estilos de vida marginales. Sin embargo, en los últimos años, esta percepción ha cambiado drásticamente. Hoy en día, los tatuajadores mexicanos son reconocidos internacionalmente por su talento, y muchos incorporan elementos del arte prehispánico, el folclore y la iconografía religiosa en sus diseños, creando una fusión única entre tradición e innovación.
As society grew more accepting of self-expression, tattoos shed their outlaw image. Celebrities, athletes, and even politicians began sporting visible ink. Workplaces relaxed their dress codes, and tattoos became a conversation starter rather than a cause for concern. In Latino communities, the term tatuajes evolved too—no longer a mark of shame, but a symbol of pride, heritage, and individuality.
Los tatuajes en México también han tomado un papel importante en la afirmación de la identidad personal y colectiva. Jóvenes y adultos por igual se tatúan símbolos
que representan sus raíces, como calaveras del Día de los Muertos, vírgenes, frases en náhuatl o imágenes de luchadores. En ciudades como la Ciudad de México, Guadalajara y Monterrey, los estudios de tatuajes florecen y atraen a una clientela diversa que busca plasmar en su piel historias, creencias y emociones. Lo que antes era motivo de juicio, ahora es motivo de orgullo. Los tatuajes se han convertido en una forma poderosa de narrar quiénes somos y de dónde venimos.
Jo Emma and I enjoy watching the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC), and the Bare Knuckle Boxing (BKB) on the ESPN channel, and tattoos have become almost synonym with the athletes themselves—etched not just on their skin but into the culture of the sport. And almost every athlete has one. The ones who do not have a tattoo or tattoos are very rare.
These inked designs often serve as personal emblems of resilience, heritage, or pivotal life experiences, transforming the body into a canvas of identity and motivation. From tribal patterns to quotes, tattoos can project intimidation, honor fallen loved ones, or mark career milestones. The prevalence is so widespread that fighters without tattoos stand out as exceptions, not the norm. In a sport where physicality meets personal
narrative, tattoos are more than decoration—they are declarations. Today, it seems almost everyone has a tattoo— or is planning one. From minimalist wrist designs to full-sleeve masterpieces, tattoos have become a universal language of identity. What was once taboo is now trendy. Whether it's a tribute to a loved one, a cultural symbol, or a spontaneous decision, tatuajes are here to stay. And maybe, just maybe, it is time we stop asking whether we approve of them—and start asking what story they tell. Moreover, tattoos and tatuajes have transcended their once-taboo status to become a widely embraced form of self-expression. They are more common than ever before, adorning the skin of people from all walks of life—not just artists, but firefighters, police officers, teachers, nurses, the common folks, and professionals and non-professionals across countless fields. Whether chosen for personal meaning, aesthetic appeal, cultural pride, or simply the love of artistic work, tattoos now speak volumes about identity and experience. In fact, those without ink seem to be the exception rather than the rule. The body has become a canvas, and the stories it tells—etched in ink—are as diverse and vibrant as the people who wear them.
By Ricardo Romo PhD.
The exhibition "Madre_ Land: South Texas Memory & the Art of Making Home" at the Centro de Artes in San Antonio’s Market Square features art, artifacts, and altar installations by 27 South Texas emerging and established borderland artists and scholars. The first floor of the exhibition is a mosaic of art mediums that mirror a layout of a South Texas house with room-like spaces that pay homage to family kitchens, family-owned businesses, a neighborhood cafe or panaderia, all filled with family archives and collections. The rooms capture intergenerational TexasMexico border culture. The second floor features works of emerging Latina artists Hailey Marmolejo and Angelica Raquel, who illustrate Mexican life, legends, and folktales that thrive in Mexican American urban communities.
Hailey Marmolejo is a San Antonio native who is best known for paintings and murals that explore and celebrate Tejana identity and the resilience of South Texas landscapes. Her formal training in the arts began at St. Edward’s University in Austin, where she majored in Fine Arts with a minor in Spanish. In Austin, she met Sylvia Orozco of MexicArte and the Perez sisters, Cynthia and Lydia of La Peña Gallery, and worked as an intern with both of these arts organizations.
Marmolejo later lived in New York City, producing art, engaging in street art, and working at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. In 2020, Marmolejo returned to
Texas and began painting murals around San Antonio.
Notable accolades include her participation in the awardwinning collaborative mural
“All Are Welcome Love Conquers Hate,” recognized as Best New Mural by San Antonio Magazine in 2022. Her work has appeared in publications such as Texas Monthly and has been exhibited in galleries and museums across Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and New York.
Marmolejo’s pieces address the richness and contradictions of life on the borderlands, and she weaves her cultural heritage into each creation. Marmolejo’s work stands out for its powerful depiction of feminine resilience, cultural duality, and the lived experience of South Texas. Her paintings of La Llorona and La Malinche captured my interest.
I first heard about La Llorona (The Weeping Woman) when I was about five years old, living on Guadalupe Street in San Antonio, Texas. It was a story told to every young child in a Mexican household. As a legendary spirit, La Llorona mourns her drowned children and serves as a cautionary tale to keep children away from dangerous creeks and rivers. Her chilling cries are deeply woven into Latino and borderland culture.
La Llorona’s story predates the Spanish conquest. In Bernardino de Sahagún’s Historia General de las Cosas de la Nueva España (the Florentine Codex), Indigenous Nahua informants recounted visions of a weeping woman who walked the streets of Tenochtitlan before its fall, crying, “My children, where shall I take you?”—a lament
scholars connect to the enduring legend of La Llorona.
Rooted in Aztec mythology, the legend of La Llorona recalls deities such as Cihuacoatl (snake woman), Coatlicue (mother goddess), and Chalchiuhtlicue (goddess of water)—all maternal figures who wept for their children and foretold catastrophe. Their laments, recorded in omen narratives, anticipated conquest and collapse. Folklorists suggest that La Llorona’s weeping echoes this divine mourning, transformed through colonial and postcolonial retellings into a story of loss, punishment, and redemption.
In contemporary art, the myth serves as testimony rather than terror. Hailey Marmolejo interprets La Llorona through a feminist lens, writing: “Here, the legendary weeping woman stands as a witness rather than a warning. Her river becomes a
current of generational tears that both submerges and reveals. Standing for women silenced by patriarchy, La Llorona turns sorrow into testimony— reflecting the ongoing struggle for voice, agency, and release.” Legends of La Llorona and La Malinche have numerous parallels. La Malinche, originally known as Marina, was a Nahua woman whose life symbolized both the conquest and the genesis of culture. Born around 1500 on the Gulf Coast, La Malinche was enslaved and given to Hernán Cortés in 1519. Recognized for her intelligence and linguistic fluency in Nahuatl, Maya, and later Spanish, she became indispensable to Cortés as a translator and political intermediary. With Geronimo Aguilar, a shipwrecked Spaniard fluent in the Mayan language, La
Malinche negotiated alliances that proved decisive to the Spanish conquest, notably averting disaster at Cholula.
Doña Marina converted to Christianity, bore Cortés a son—Martín—and appeared beside him in numerous codices, portrayed as both interpreter and partner in the new Spanish colony. Over centuries, her image evolved from mediator and mother of mestizos to emblem of betrayal. The word “malinchista” still conveys preference for the foreign, yet modern readings reclaim her as a survivor navigating entrapment and power.
In Marmolejo’s reimagining statement, La Malinche is not a traitor but a tragic figure: “Traded like treasure, her gleaming gold skin reads as prize and burden, while the knife in her back marks where the true treachery lies. In Tejana guise, she confronts the violence of conquest and the silencing of women.”
Marmolejo’s redefinition of La Malinche’s story—like the redefinition of La Llorona’s— reveals the endurance of Indigenous women’s voices as witnesses across centuries of transformation.
The art by Angelica Raquel, a multidisciplinary artist and educator working in San Antonio, Texas, also centers on the narrative power of folklore,
family storytelling, and personal myth. Raised in the border city of Laredo, Angelica Raquel draws deep inspiration from her upbringing and cultural roots along the U.S.–Mexico border. Her paintings reflect stories handed down by her late grandfather during family gatherings and campouts.
Angelica Raquel’s works explore themes of memory, morality, belonging, and the intricate bonds between humans, nature, and the unknown. By intertwining mythic motifs with contemporary reflections, she preserves and expands her family’s storytelling traditions, forging a bridge between generations. Angelica Raquel earned her MFA from The University of Texas at San Antonio in 2020 and a BFA from Texas State University in 2016. Her exhibitions span venues such as Centro de Artes, Gerald Peters Gallery, Lawndale Art Center, and Presa House.
Angelica Raquel’s “Ghosts of San Antonio's Train Tracks” is based on a local folktale from the pre-WWII years. In the 1930s or 1940s, a school bus stalled on the rail tracks; a train struck; a nun survived, but the children did not. The incident took place near Mission San Juan in the Southside of San Antonio. Guilt drove the nun back to the crossing, where
invisible hands had seemed to push her car to safety. Today, according to residents of the neighborhood, the legend draws visitors who test the tale. Angelica Raquel wrote that the “image weighs grief, ritual, and the human need to make meaning where tragedy split the road.”
Angelica Raquel's bold image, "The Devil at the Disco," sometimes referred to as "San Antonio's Dancing Devil," is based on another popular Mexican American folktale. Ken Gerhard of the San Antonio Current wrote in 2011 that one of his favorite San Antonio sagas involved a dubious character known as the Dancing Devil. According to many long-time residents, as well as newspaper articles from the time, a dashing and handsome young man (el guapo) dressed in all white entered El Camaroncito Night Club on Old Highway 90 one 1975 night during Halloween. Gerhard tells the story that the man was a fabulous dancer and wooed many of the señoritas in attendance. As the evening went on, however, things took a horrific turn when one of the man’s dancing partners happened to glance down at his feet. The woman suddenly screamed out in terror, broke free of the man’s grip, and
began pointing downward. It was then, amidst a flurry of gasps and shrieks, that the patrons noticed the man’s shoes had transformed into long, clawed chicken’s feet.
These legends and others have roots tracing back to European and Aztec folklore but have been strongly adapted into
contexts, blending local supernatural beliefs with moral lessons. Visitors can learn more about myths and legends, as well as ancestral heirlooms, from "Madre_Land: South Texas Memory & the Art of Making Home" at the Centro de Artes in San Antonio, on view October 2, 2025–February 22, 2026.
Purchasing & Contract Administration
Office: (210) 485-0100 Fax: (210) 486-9022
The Alamo Colleges District is releasing the Request for Qualification Statement (RFQS) on October 28, 2025, unless otherwise indicted on the date shown. RFQS 2026-0086 Purchase of Bond Counsel Services
Proposal Deadline: November 17, 2025, at 2:00PM
Specifications are available by visiting the Alamo Colleges District website: www.alamo.edu/purchasing or by emailing dst-purchasing@alamo.edu
seeks F/T Accountant for their San Antonio, TX location. Duties: Oversees accounting activity and prepares financial statements. Manages accounts receivable and accounts payable. Reconciles accounts payable and receivable. A U.S. Bachelor’s Degree or a Foreign Equivalent Degree in Accounting + 12 mos. exp. in Accounting. Interested applicants please submit resumes to Eduardo Cadena at chainandchainconstruction@gmail.com.
ATTENTION MEDICAID & MEDICARE RECIPIENTS! ¡ATENCIÓN BENEFICIARIOS DE MEDICAID Y MEDICARE!
Many recipients are now receiving notices that premiums are increasing and that government subsidies are no longer available. This means you may need to choose a new plan to keep your coverage active and afforable. Don’t wait until it’s too late!
December 15th is the final deadline to make changes.
If you miss this date, you could lose your insurance coverage for an entire year and won’t be able to enroll again until the next open enrollment period at the end of next year. Our team is here to help you review your options and make sure you and your family stay covered.
Call for assistance today: 210-365-5250
Muchos beneficiarios están recibiendo avisos de que las primas están aumentando y que los subsidios del gobierno ya no están disponibles. Esto significa que puede necesitar elegir un nuevo plan para mantener su cobertura activa y a un costo accesible.
¡No espere hasta el último momento!
El 15 de diciembre es la fecha límite final para hacer cambios. Si no actúa antes de esa fecha, podría quedarse sin seguro médico por un año completo y no podrá inscribirse nuevamente hasta el próximo período de inscripción al final del próximo año.
Nuestro equipo está aquí para ayudarle a revisar sus opciones y asegurar que usted y su familia mantengan su cobertura.
Llame hoy para recibir asistencia gratuita: 210-365-5250
Por Franco
El prospecto delantero y poste francés Víctor Wembanyama (Wemby). Tras haber participado en cinco juegos ganados en pretemporada del circuito 2025-26, con el éxito deseado junto a sus compañeros que siguieron el plan de juego de Mitch Johnson, entrenador en jefe y su equipo de asistentes, con buenos resultados en su foja personal, en la apertura de la temporada regular NBA 2025-26 tres
partidos fue elegido como el jugador de la semana
“NBA Western Conference Player of the Week”.
Por la conferencia del este fue elegido Giannis Antetokounmpo, delantero estelar del equipo Bucks de Milwaukee.
En boletín oficial informativo de la NBA, los Spurs anunciaron con satisfacción la elección de Wemby, durante la interesante apertura de temporada, en la que Los Spurs acumularon tres partidos ganados consecutiva-
mente.
Wemby, guió a Spurs en marca récord de tres partidos ganados, por primera vez desde el 2019, con promedio de 33.3 puntos encestados, 13.3 rebotes, 6.00 bloqueos. 2.3 bloqueos, 2.3 asistencias y 1.67 robos todo en un tiempo de juego de 33.3 minutos en los que en disparos aro en un 56.9 de promedio (37-65) sobre la duela.
Wemby es el primer jugador en la historia de la NBA en anotar más de 100 puntos, así como más de 40 rebotes y 15 bloqueos, durante los tres partidos ganados por Spurs.
En la contienda local Frost Bank Center Wemby, ante el rival visitante Nets de Brooklyn, encestó 31 unidades, con 14 rebotes, 4 asistencias y tres encestes triples, añadiendo 6 bloqueos y tres robos para una victoria con marcador de 118-107. Lo cual lo convirtió en tercer lugar en la historia de la NBA, donde ahora comparte créditos con Karl Anthony -Towns [2018] y Raef LaFrenthz (2000).
Cabe destacar el excelente homenaje que la gerencia SS&E, propietaria del pentacampeón Los Spurs de San Antonio, recientemente ubicaron en el cielo del estadio Frost Bank Center,
flamante estandarte con el nombre del entrenador en jefe Gregg Popovich (Pop), quien ahora firma como President of Operations NBA San Antonio Spurs.
Su legado dejó marca de 29 temporadas guiando a Spurs ha cinco títulos en la NBA, así como de medalla de oro en la olimpiada del 2020 en Tokio.
En el estandarte junto a jugadores leyendas se añadió sus 1,390 victorias logradas durante sus 29 temporadas dirigidas
para el pentacampeón Spurs, club que ostenta récord mundial porqué Pop logró clasificar a San Antonio a los playoff y además como entrenador del seleccionado USA en la olimpiada del 2020 Tokyo logró El Oro. Pop en la clase 2023 fue inmortalizado al Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame con sede en Springfield, Massachusetts. (Fotos de Franco).
By Conviva Senior Primary Care
Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common chronic conditions we see in older adults—and one of the most manageable when addressed early. For seniors, especially those in Hispanic and African American communities, the risks can be greater and the complications more serious. At Conviva, we know that awareness and screenings coupled with daily support make all the difference in helping patients live longer, healthier lives.
The challenge is that symptoms often appear slowly and may be mistaken for “just getting older.” That delay in diagnosis can lead to several serious health conditions, such as heart disease, kidney problems or vision loss before diabetes is even identified. At Conviva, we provide regular screenings and medication reviews so patients and families can stay one step ahead.
Diabetes and Health
Disparities: Who is Most Affected Research shows diabetes doesn’t affect all groups equally.
With aging, the body becomes less efficient at using insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. Many seniors also take medications for blood pressure, heart conditions or weight management that influence how the body processes glucose. Combined with less physical activity and slower metabolism, these changes increase vulnerability.
Hispanic adults are about 60% more likely than non-Hispanics to be diagnosed and are 1.5 times more likely to die from the disease. Facing similar challenges are non-Hispanic Black adults, with 1.4 times higher prevalence and hospitalization rates from uncontrolled diabetes nearly four times greater than white adults, according to both the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health* and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention**.
This data reflects biology as well as access to care, cultural habits and health awareness. That’s why Conviva makes bilingual education and culturally tailored support consistent to its care model and community outreach.
Although every patient is different, some warning signs should never be ignored. Here are key symptoms to monitor:
• Frequent thirst and urination
• Unusual fatigue or weakness
• Blurred vision
• Cuts or infections that heal slowly
• Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
If you or a loved one notice these changes, don’t wait—schedule a visit today with your local Conviva Center. Our providers can quickly check blood sugar levels, review medications, and create a care plan tailored to you.
The good news is that Type 2 diabetes can often be man-
aged, and sometimes even prevented, with small but steady changes. At Conviva, we work diligently with patients to build daily routines that are realistic: balanced meals using favorite family recipes, activities that include gentle exercise routines like walking or chair yoga, and ongoing reviews of medications. These may seem like modest steps, but together they promote long-term health.
Type 2 diabetes is common, but it doesn’t have to define your life. Our Conviva physicians understand the importance of regular care and early action in ensuring the well-being of our patients. With healthy habits and reliable medical guidance, our seniors can thrive at every stage of life.
