Category: Activism

Voter registration deadline is Monday October 7

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Deadline to vote in the November 5 election is Monday October 5. Proposition 5 will protect Texas’ natural areas and historic sites. Photo: google

On November 5, Texans will head to the polls and vote in a constitutional amendment election. Voters will determine whether or not to pass Proposition 5, one of 10 on the ballot, which will create a dedicated stream of revenue to support the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission. This is important for protecting Texas’ natural areas, water quality, and history, and it is vital to our economy. (Texas Coalition for State Parks, 2019)

For Texans, the deadline to register to vote in the upcoming constitutional amendment election this fall is Monday, October 7, 2019, as voters must submit their voter registration at least 30 days before the election date. Those interested in voting on ballot items on November 5, 2019 can find out if they are registered to vote in the state, how to register if not, and discover where they can cast their ballots by visiting the links on the Texas Coalition for State Parks’ elections page.

Proposition 5 is a constitutional dedication of revenue from the existing sales tax, so those dollars can only be used by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission on public parks and historic sites and not for any other purposes. This Proposition requires no new taxes or fees. A “YES” vote on Proposition 5 on November 5 will protect Texas’ natural areas and historic sites, so Texans do not lose the very things that make Texas a special place in which to live.

The ballot language of Proposition 5 is: “The constitutional amendment dedicating the revenue received from the existing state sales and use taxes that are imposed on sporting goods to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission to protect Texas’ natural areas, water quality, and history by acquiring, managing, and improving state and local parks and historic sites while not increasing the rate of the state sales and use taxes.”

The Texas Coalition for State Parks, was launched by a group of former Texas Parks & Wildlife Commissioners and park advocates with the sole purpose of advocating for a constitutional dedication of the Sporting Goods Sales Tax to state parks funding. The Texas Coalition for State Parks PAC was formed to engage voters ahead of the November 5, 2019 election and encourage them to support Proposition 5.

“As our state population grows, we must promote and protect our public parks and state historic sites. We can all agree that these special places are vital to our economy and to our Texas heritage, culture, and way of life. A reliable source of funding for state parks and historic sites is an investment in our future and a gateway to the outdoors for every Texan.” – State Senator Lois Kolkhorst

“For too long, state lawmakers have entrusted the hardworking leaders and personnel of our state parks system with a very important job, but did not give them the resources they needed to accomplish it. This amendment will change that and provide the funding system necessary to preserve these natural treasures for future generations.” – State Representative John Cyrier

Harlequin announces OutStander Award winners

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Jaclyn Kenyon will be performing at the Harlequin Feel Good Day on October 5 at the Omni La Mansion Del Rio. Courtesy photo: used with permission.

Harlequin announces the OutStander Award winners to be honored at Feel Good Day next month. First Lady of San Antonio Erika Prosper Nirenberg will help present the awards on Saturday, October 5, to six individuals who champion good causes and improve the quality of life in our community. Those being honored are: April Ancira, Millennial Groundbreaker; Kathy Armstrong, Cultural Champion; Ande McBay, Person of Positivity; Amy Palmer, Harlequin Hometown Hero; Isabel Torres, Personal of Positivity; and Laura Vaccaro, Women United Community Catalyst, United Way. (Harlequin, 2019)

Millennial Groundbreaker – April Ancira “goes big” for one lucky non-profit each year and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the American Heart Association, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Brighton Center, ALS, Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Association and Family Services.

Cultural Champion – Kathy Armstrong is an advocate for the arts as a curator, director and participant in the cultural scene of San Antonio. She has put the Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival on San Antonio’s cultural map, showcasing innovative contemporary art to more than twenty thousand festival attendees each year.

Person of Positivity – Ande McBay, the self-proclaimed military “brat,” has overcome numerous personal and medical challenges to become the first Deaf female Executive Chef in San Antonio and co-founded the Ladies’ Raspa and Adventuring Society and the Dames Who Dine.

Harlequin Hometown Hero – Amy Palmer is a veteran of the Armed Forces who has committed her post-Air Force work to supporting those on the front lines through Soldiers’ Angels. Palmer has spearheaded the creation of a Veteran Internship Program at Soldiers’ Angels to help military service members transition to civilian life and learn more about nonprofit management.

Personal of Positivity – Isabel Torres, after the loss of her six-year-old daughter Gabriella, founded the Gabriella’s Smile Foundation to support families who are battling with childhood cancers. Through the Foundation, Torres sets out to give families a reason to smile while coping with the challenges of grief and loss.

Women United Community Catalyst – United Way winner Laura Vaccaro is an active fundraiser for the MS Society, American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association and Girl Scouts. Her valuable leadership and ambitious fundraising goals has earned respect within the United Way family of volunteers.

Harlequin Feel Good Day San Antonio is set for 10:30a.m. to 6p.m., Saturday, October 5 at the Omni La Mansion Del Rio. All guests will receive a SWAG BAG filled with inspiring gifts valued at $200. Harlequin, a leading publisher of romance and women-centric literature for nearly seven decades, is bringing its powerhouse community to San Antonio for a day of Feel Good programing and community building that celebrates and explores what makes women feel their best, do their best and be their best selves. Jaclyn Kenyon will be the musical performer for the day.

“I believe these women deserve to have their passion, commitment and outstanding achievements recognized not just in our city, but on a national and international scale. I am excited to be a part of the Harlequin Feel Good Movement showcasing San Antonio and our residents to a global community.”- Erika Prosper Nirenberg

Go Orange to fight hunger at Whataburger this month

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September is Hunger Action Month. Photo: Whataburger, used with permission. 

This week, Whataburger announced their partnership with the San Antonio Food Bank for the tenth consecutive year. The goals is to fight hunger and raise awareness for SA Goes Orange, a month-long campaign during Hunger Action Month in September. (Whataburger, 2019)

From September 1 through 30, Whataburger will host a month-long fundraiser to raise money for the Food Bank. Customers who visit any Bexar County and New Braunfels Whataburger restaurant during that timeframe and donate at least $1 will receive a thank-you coupon good for a free Whataburger with purchase of a medium fry and 32-ounce drink on their next visit. Upcoming SA Goes Orange events include the September 14 and September 28 Volunteer Days at the Food Bank.

Whataburger has been making burgers since 1950 when Harman Dobson opened a humble hamburger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas. He wanted customers to take one bite and say, “What a burger” so he named his stand on Ayers St “Whataburger.” Whataburger now has over 700 locations across the country and continues to deliver fresh, made to order meals every day with superior customer service. Community support includes charitable giving and volunteerism to nonprofit organizations that focus on children’s charities, cancer research, hunger assistance, disaster relief and military support.

The San Antonio Food Bank is a 501c3 non-profit organization providing millions of pounds of food to over 500 charitable organizations in Southwest Texas serving those in need. In addition to food distribution, the San Antonio Food Bank provides numerous programs that not only solve the immediate problems of hunger, but help individuals and families gain long-term food security.

Independence Brewing Co. releases beer to spark voter engagement

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Independence Brewing Co. released Freak Power, a new blood orange hefeweizen to kick off the voter registration period in Texas. Photo: Julia Keim, used with permission. 

Ahead of its fifteenth anniversary, Independence Brewing Co. announced the release of Freak Power, a new blood orange hefeweizen named in honor of Hunter S. Thompson’s groundbreaking campaign for sheriff of Aspen in 1970. The beer debuts just in time to kick off the voter registration period for Texas residents ahead of state elections in 2019 and national elections in 2020. Just as Thompson created the “Freak Power Party” to inspire fellow “freaks” to vote, Independence Brewing aims to inspire the inner freak in everyone to participate in our democracy. (Independence Brewing Co., 2019)

Freak Power is part of Independence Brewing’s upcoming initiative to help spread political awareness and civic engagement among eligible voters in markets where their beer is sold. As part of the Freak Power rollout, team members will be deputized as volunteer voter registrars for Travis County and the South Austin brewery will host voter registration drives ahead of Texas state elections on November 5, 2019. In addition to the brewery’s efforts in Austin, Independence Brewing’s sales representatives throughout the state will organize promotional events at local bars and retailers and assist on-site voter registration.

The recipe for Freak Power is a twist on the classic Bavarian hefeweizen, balancing the sweet clove esters with the citrusy tang of blood orange. The result is a hef that starts like a traditional German wheat beer and ends with a crisp finish that does not linger too long on the palate. It pairs best with light, starchy, and lemony foods, and at 5.4% ABV, Freak Power is an ideal candidate to engage and mobilize voters of all stripes, without clouding their judgment. As far as the taste is concerned, Head Brewer Brannon Radicke states – “The tanginess of the citrus cuts a little bit of that sweetness and dries out the finish. Plus, the fruitiness of the blood oranges pairs nicely with the style’s signature clove and banana esters.”

The seasonal brew is available through September at the taproom and at local retailers throughout Texas. The can will be easy to spot since the bright pink and orange graphics against a matte-black backdrop will make this beer a standout on store shelves.

“The design decisions for Freak Power are inspired by ideas and aesthetics tied to the free thinkers and radical minds of the late 60s,” said designer Lauren Dickens. “The color palette and energetic rays behind the illustration are a nod to the burst of blood orange flavor in the beer.”

“Now, more than ever, we need to encourage each other to speak up and enact change. The 2020 election is a critical moment for our nation and will set the political agenda for the coming years. With Freak Power, we sought to create something that ignites enthusiasm the way Hunter S. Thompson did back in 1970.” – Amy Cartwright, President and Co-Founder of Independence Brewing Co.