LBJ--with former President Truman--signs the Medicare and Medicaid Act July 30, 1965
Doors Open-The Buffet Awaits!
NOON 12:30 12:40 1:25 Welcome and Pledge of Allegiance
12:45 1:40
Susan Korbel, Chair, NEBCD and Tommy Calvert, Commissioner Precinct 4
“The Star Spangled Banner”
Performed by Richard Oppenheim, saxophonist and former President of the Musicians Union
Introduce Elected Officials and Candidates
Keynote Speaker: Ron Nirenberg, Former Mayor of San Antonio
Kitchen closes Picnic closes 3:00 3 1:05 2:30
NEBCD
Honor the Labor Woman & Labor Man of the Year
Children’s Activities Begin
Exhibit Tables
Let’s Talk! This is an Exclusive Feature of the Labor Day Picnic! Officials, Candidates, Democratic Organizations, Clubs, and Vendors have staked out a spot where you can have up-close and personal conversations with them. You’ll never have a better opportunity than this to get answers and get acquainted!
DIAMOND DIAMOND
SPONSOR SPONSOR
Peter Sakai, Bexar County Judge
PLATINUM PLATINUM
SPONSORS SPONSORS
Kristin Hook, Candidate,
United States House of Representatives, District 21
Justin Rodriguez, Commissioner, Pct 2
Tommy Calvert, Commissioner, Pct 4 Reid and Joan Williams
GOLD GOLD
SPONSORS SPONSORS
Mary Lou Alvarez, Judge, 45 District Court th
Monique Diaz, Judge, 150 District Court th
Marisa Flores, Judge, 224 District Court th
Donate to Candidates You Can Talk To
If we want to be competitive up the ballot, we have to be competitive down ballot too. We urge you to donate locally as well as to national campaigns. National campaigns pull in millions of dollars, and they need it, but local candidates operate on a shoe string, and your donation to them has much bigger impact.
SILVER SILVER SPONSORS SPONSORS
Antonia Arteaga, Judge 57 District Court th & Candidate, Chief Justice, 4 Court of Appeals th
Christine Vasquez-Hortick Judge, 225 District Court th
Ana Ochoa-Nelson, Candidate 226 District Court th
Christine Del Prado, Judge, 227 District Court th
Cynthia Chapa, Judge, 288 District Court th
Lauren Zamora, Judge, County Court #12
Oscar Kazen, Probate Court #1
Michelle Lowe Solis Bexar County Democratic Party Chair
Patrick Nuttall
Former North East Bexar County Democrats Chair
Robert Miller North East Bexar County Democrats Vice Chair
Lausanne Wiatrowski
Co-Chair NEBCD Events & Fundraising Committee
Jacqueline Pugh, MD
Debra Zintgraff, Speak USA
BRONZE BRONZE
SPONSORS SPONSORS
Joaquin Castro,
United States House of Representatives, District 20
Michael Mery, Judge, 144 District Court th
Norma Gonzales Judge, 161 District Court st
Catherine Torres-Stahl, Judge, 175 District Court th
Monica Ramirez Alcantara, Candidate, District Clerk
Mary Lou Alvarez, Judge, 45 District Court th
Antonia Arteaga, Judge, 57 District Court th
Stephanie Boyd, Judge, 187 District Court th
Chris Castillo, Candidate, District Clerk
Bexar County Democratic Party
Bexar County Young Democrats Blue Horizon
Christine Del Prado, Judge, 227 District Court th
Coalition of Black Trades Unions
Erica Dominguez, Judge, County Court #6
Kristina Escalona, Judge, 186 District Court th
Elva Abundis-Esparza, District Clerk Candidate
Marisa Flores, Judge, 224 District Court th
Stephanie Franco, Candidate, 187 District Court th
Jesse Garcia, ACA Insurance Services
Christine Vasquez-Hortick, Judge, 225 District Court th
Yolanda Huff, Judge, County Court #12
Oscar Kazen, Judge, Probate Court #1
EXHIBIT TABLES EXHIBIT TABLES
Melanie Lira, Judge, County Court #7
Lifelong Learners (Academy of Learning in Retirement)
Michelle Lowe Solis, Bexar County Democratic Party Chair
Jerry Mathis, M A R Insurance Group
Michael Mery, Judge, 144 District Court th
Velia Meza, Justice, 4 Court of Appeals & Candidate, Chief Justice, 4 Court of Appeals th th
Bob Mihara, Candidate, Texas House District 117
NEBCD Team Courts
NEBCD Team Education
Nadine Nieto, Judge, 285 District Court th
Ana Ochoa-Nelson, Candidate, 226 District Court th
Erica Peña, Judge, County Court #11
Helen Petry Stowe, Judge, County Court #1
Carlo Rodriguez Key, Judge, County Court #14
Melissa Saenz, Judge, County Court #2
William "Cruz" Shaw, Judge, 436 District Court th
Holly Taylor, Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place #9
Veronica Vasquez, Probate Court #2
Alfredo Ximenez, Judge, County Court #4
Debra Zintgraff, Speak USA
Ron Nirenberg is the longest-serving Mayor of San Antonio during the modern era. He was the first Asian-American Mayor of San Antonio. He served two terms on the City Council before becoming Mayor.
Mayor Nirenberg has a core commitment to civic participation and the universal values of liberty, justice, and equal opportunity for every person. Nirenberg is Chairman Emeritus of Sister Cities International, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that connects cities across the globe through civic, educational and cultural exchanges. In 2025, he was named the Ron Calgaard Professor of Practice at
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: RON NIRENBERG
MAYOR, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
JIM CHESNUT & ROY PANIAGUA
Jim Chesnut, Indie Recording Artist &
Roy Paniagua, KEDA personality & extraordinary musician
Indie Country singer/songwriter, Jim Chesnut, will be joined by Roy Paniagua, a KEDA air personality and an extraordinary musician. Roy has performed through the years with Flaco Jiménez, Freddy Fender, Johnny Rodriguez, Ray Benson, The Texas Tornados, and many others.
For a quarter-century, Patsy Esterline has been a voice for teachers and support staff as the President of North East Federation of Teachers/AFT. After eight years of teaching, Patsy was elected president in 2000. Over her tenure, she led the organization through significant victories.
Under Patsy’s leadership, North East AFT challenged the district’s refusal to pay a teacher for all the days worked, taking the case all the way to the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The TEA affirmed the union’s position that teachers cannot be compelled to work unpaid beyond their contract days. This decision became a landmark statewide education policy.
Patsy secured $6,000 in merit pay for special education teachers, and advocated for teachers injured in classroom assaults who were denied district support. She also successfully contested unfair evaluations of NEISD members. A graduate of AFT’s professional development program, Patsy also helped members strengthen their instructional practices.
Politically, Patsy has been a force—supporting school board, state, and federal campaigns. In 2024, she played a key role in defeating five farright candidates for the NEISD school board. Working hand-in-hand with the NEBCD, she mobilized volunteers to knock on doors, make calls, and educate voters about the stakes of the election.
Patsy has attended and spoken at more than 250 NEISD school board meetings, tirelessly advocating for members and major issues issues. Even when faced with hostility from some board members and administrators, Patsy has never backed down.
Dan Torres
LABOR MAN OF THE YEAR
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Dan Torres has been a member of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) for 43 years and is a retired Letter Carrier who served for 32 years. During this time he has held various positions in the NALC including Shop Steward, Recording Secretary, Vice President and currently serves as Director of Retirees. He has chaired many events to benefit the San Antonio Food Bank and the Muscular Dystrophy Association, which are the NALC’s main charities.
Dan has been active at both the national and state levels of the NALC. He has been an elected delegate to every State and National convention since 1986. At the National level he was elected President of the Hispanic Forum of Letter Carriers and at the local, state and national levels has served on various committees and been a state Congressional Legislative Liaison since 1988.
He has been Congressional Liaison for District 20 and served through the terms of Henry B. Gonzalez, Charley Gonzalez and now Joaquin Castro. His legislative duties have included lobbying in Washington, D.C. on behalf of the NALC and achieving support for the NALC and the United States Postal Service.
Dan served the Bexar County Democratic Party as Precinct Chair for three terms, has been an elected delegate to the AFL-CIO Central Labor Council since 1988 and is currently Sergeant At Arms. He also served as Vice President for the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, is a member of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement and the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists.
Dan realizes that life is short and tries to live by the motto “Your life is your message, make it a good one.”
do knowbe,&
If you’re concerned about our future, like most of us are these days, the antidote is to be present, learn and do. Here are some ideas you might like:
1. Support our Texas House Reps
Our Bexar County delegation needs our help more than ever. Send them some love, $$ or at least a postcard. Find their contact info here: https://house.texas.gov/ OR donate here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/quorum-break
2. Protect the vulerable
There are many great groups working to protect our residents under attack by ICE. Here is a helpful resource site provided by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center: https://www.ilrc.org/communityresources. If you want to monitor immigration sites, contact marthakspinks@gmail.com. Spanish speakers needed.
3. Attend a local rally
Big or small, Democrats are leading and participating in public events to let politicians know our concerns and to amplify those to the public. For more information, go to Mobilize or marthakspinks@gmail.com
4. Make a new friend!
Every Thursday night, the Dems and Friends Ice House Crawl runs from 6-8. All you have to do is find someone to talk to and enjoy casual conversation. Details on Bexar County Democrats Mobilize.
5. Support Our Schools
NEBCD is including regular discussions at monthly meetings on how to protect our schools. We recently held a workshop to teach people how to be a regular presence at school board meetings and address issues.
6. Meet Our Judges
Join Team Courts at our next event on Sept. 6th @ 5:00pm featuring the Probate Court Judges. Space is limited so sign up here: mobilize.us/s/H1vBns
7. WANTED: Tech Support
NEBCD is forming a TECH SAVVY TEAM to produce smooth and reliable HYBRID ZOOM meetings. We need techies to evaluate our equipment and teach some other “how to tech.” Contact Lausanne Wiatroski at: Cerise48@gmail.com
8. Tune in to Texas Public Radio/NPR
NEBCD is a proud supporter of TPR. The station needs our help to continue to provide unbiased coverage of our community. Click here to donate: https://www.tpr.org/resiliency
9. Find new voters and wake up the old voters
Volunteer Deputy Registrar (VDR) Training: Best Tools & Techniques from BCDP on Sautrday, Sept. 13th, from 10am - 11:30am. Register at: https://www.bexardemocrat.org/bcdp-eventscalendar.html#combcal
10. Keep up on Substack
Here are a few of our favorite Substack writers: https://jimacosta.substack.com/ https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/ Looking for local writers to follow. What's yours? Let's follow each other! https://substack.com/@hidingunderhere
11. Reconnect with your neighbors
. Maybe invite some friends for coffee or a house party. If you're a precinct chair or coordinator, now's your time to find some block captains.
12. Join other groups
Join national/statewide groups that promote voting and activism to protect our democracy: https://lwvsa.org/ https://mothersagainstgregabbott.com/ https://indivisible.org/ https://www.texasdemocrats.org/work-with-us 50501SA @fiftyfiftyone.satx on Instagram What other groups should we support? Email korbelcc3@gmail.com
14. Help a candidate
Many candidates already have announced that they are runningr in 2026. Don’t make them do it all alone. Give them your help. BCDP has a calendar that keeps up with all the events around town: https://www.bexardemocrat.org/bcdp-events-calendar.html#combcal
15. Express Yourself
Talking and writing about our concerns and experiences can help us and others to understand and to feel hope and strength. Try a class on writing letters to the editor (https://www.alirsanantonio.org/) or participating in a poetry slam where you tell your story to likeminded Democrats in poetry or prose. (marthakspinks@gmail.com)
Cappyccino's Mama's
ABOUT
NEBCD & WINNING ELECTIONS ABOUT NEBCD & WINNING ELECTIONS
Many state and local candidates don’t have sufficient money or staff to support a robust political campaign. For nearly three decades, NEBCD has helped fill that gap with grassroots organizing and operating a pop-up campaign headquarters for all Democratic candidates. It’s where candidates can connect with volunteers and voters, find office space, and hold meetings.
As it stands right now, there’s no getting away from money in politics. National campaigns pull in millions of dollars, and they need it to compete. However, local candidates often operate their campaigns on a shoe string (or a personal credit card). Your donations to local candidates actually can have much bigger impact than your donations to national campaigns that are better funded.
But it’s not all about the money. More than one political campaign with a smaller budget than its opponent has won an election with passion and people power. NEBCD capitalizes on that by sponsoring two events each year to fund its pop-up campaign headquarters every two years during major election cycles. First, the passion and people power show up at NEBCD’s fundraising events, where Democrats celebrate who they are. And then, the passion and people power show up at the pop-up campaign office, which becomes a magnet for volunteers and activities that propel all Democratic campaigns in Bexar County, f national.
Winning an election requires thousands of one-on-one conversations. That’s done by volunteers who are registering voters, knocking on doors, making phone calls, writing postcards and spending countle performing other mundane but critical tasks to Get Out the Vote (GOTV). NEBCD recruits, trains and organizes those volunteers. Durin election cycles, NEBCD operates a home base for all these activities.
Winning state and national elections also requires that we focus on building a back bench. The back bench comes from all the down ballot elections, such as school boards, judges, council membe commissioners. Down ballot elections give candidates experience and exposure that are critical to advancing to, and winning, state and national campaigns. They can’t do that by themselves. NEBCD is there with them.
We hope you will commit your time and treasure to local success. Every donation to NEBCD supports these goals. And we want more than your money--we want you to get involved. Contact us, come to our monthly meetings, and find out how.
