Krause’s Café & Biergarten in New Braunfels. Photo: Krause’s Café, used with permission.
With International Beer Day fast approaching on Friday August 6, New Braunfels based beer garden, Krause’s Café & Biergarten, will be having beer specials all day to celebrate. Krause’s will be offering half price pints on all Altstadt Brewery products with an all-day Altstadt tap takeover. Guests can find Altstadt lager, Kolsch, amber, hefeweizen, pilsner, IPA, and more at Krause’s. Kick off the weekend with Krause’s and get a taste of German tradition in the Texas Hill Country. (Krause’s Café & Biergarten, 2021)
Krause’s Café & Biergarten is a New Braunfels historic restaurant opened in 1938 and successfully run until 1995. Today, Krause’s Café honors the previous traditions of the restaurant with the addition of a ‘biergarten,’ live music, and more. The menu reflects New Braunfels’ German heritage as well as South Texas flavors. Over one hundred beers are available on tap with local, regional, and international options. The restaurant also features cocktails and wines on tap. Krause’s Café is located at 186 S Castell Ave, New Braunfels, TX 78130, next to the popular New Braunfels Farmers Market.
Lawrence Fernandez, author of “Jackass Flats” will be at the Brownsville Public Library for a book signing event on August 24 and 26. Photo: amazon
Coming up this month at the Brownsville Public Library, there will be a book signing event with Lawrence Fernandez, author of the book “Jackass Flats: Tales of the Deltaland of the Rio Grande.” He will be at the Main Branch as well as the Southmost Branch location on August 24 and 26, 2021 from 7p.m to 8p.m. There will be copies of his book available for purchase on the day of the event. (Brownsville Public Library, 2021)
“Jackass Flats” (amazon, 2021) This book is a virtual fireside chat with the great storytellers of the delta region of the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. It is appropriately named “Jackass Flats,” paralleling it with the vanished prairie herds of wild horses and jackasses that inhabited a thin range of land in the Lower Nueces Strip. Just as these mythical beasts are now gone, so stands the feared endangerment of a species of “tellers of yarns” who kept the oral traditions alive, perpetuating a lifestyle that was colorfully filled with customs which were unique to South Texas colonization.
Four or five generations of close friendships, inter-marriages, business dealings, and even the occasional fights bring these accounts over the line, into being “personal stories.” You know it is personal when you open up your family cedar chests and discover a whole cross-section of photographs of non-family, and recognize them for the impact that each one gave to the community at large. You close your eyes and you can still vividly recall the scenes where the old chats were carried out; the chiseled features of the “old folks”, the smell of pipe tobacco, the salt spray of the gulf, mesquite wood campfires. You tried your darnedest to lap up all of the words of these tales.
Even though your grandmother sometimes altered the details with each presentation, you dare not correct her – that was part of the flavor. There will always be something special about reflecting back to what it was like in a bygone era. It is like going to a costume party and dressing out your fantasies. The storytellers are a strong example of reincarnation. They left a verbal, oral legacy that will live for as long as there are those who will light a fire to rekindle the message.
When: Main Branch – August 24, 2021 from 7p.m. to 8p.m. Southmost Branch – August 26, 2021 from 7p.m. to 8p.m.
Brownsville Public Library
Main Branch 2600 Central Blvd. Brownsville, TX 78520 (956) 548-1055
Naco Mexican Eatery restaurant will open in Fall 2021. Photo: Naco Mexican Eatery, used with permission.
Naco Mexican Eatery is excited to announce its first ever brick and mortar location coming to San Antonio in the Los Patios development along the Salado Creek, opening in Fall 2021. Naco Mexican Eatery – a concept by husband-and-wife team Francisco Estrada and Lizzeth Martinez – is a food truck that serves authentic Mexican plates, traditional tacos, tortas, and chilaquiles for breakfast and lunch service. (Naco Mexican Eatery, 2021)
Naco Mexican Eatery opened for business in San Antonio over three years ago. Its menu focuses on the street foods of Mexico with freshly made items such as chilaquiles using Naco’s own homemade salsas, tacos, and tortas, as well as healthy, keto-friendly and veggie-forward dishes. The menu at the new location will still include all the food truck fan-favorites but also add on all-day chilaquiles with new sauce options such as almond mole, a selection of breakfast egg benedicts made with traditional Mexican toppings including huitlacoche and Naco’s Mexican brisket, Mexican-inspired croissants with options like guava and cheese, all-natural aguas frescas, and more.
Naco Mexican Eatery will have a relaxed, family-friendly space, with indoor dining of roughly 2,900 square feet, a space for private events, as well as a large 3,000 square foot patio surrounded by natural landscape and a creek-side view. The restaurant will have options for breakfast, lunch, early dinner and brunch service on the weekends. The restaurant will be located in Los Patios at 2015 NE Interstate 410 Loop, San Antonio, TX 78217.
“We are blessed to be in a wonderful city, surrounded by the most amazing people who have fallen in love with our Mexican food that includes our own family flavors. We can’t wait to be able to showcase even more with our full-service restaurant space.”
Owner Francisco Estrada
Naco Mexican Eatery will open its brick and mortar location in Fall 2021 and will continue its food truck operations. An official opening date will be announced soon.
Events include a new Human Rights Campaign installation, a celebration of all things LGBTQ+, and more. Photo: Hopscotch, used with permission.
Hopscotch, the immersive art gallery in downtown San Antonio, is excited to announce a variety of programming, specials and more for the month of August including a new LGBTQ+ celebration, new installation from the Human Rights Campaign, yoga, nonprofit partnerships and more. The gallery will also begin opening its doors to the public on Thursdays at 2p.m. starting August 5. These are some of the events coming up in August and beyond. (Hopscotch, 2021)
Human Rights Campaign Installation Hopscotch will officially debut its newest installation on Thursday, August 5. The gallery has partnered with the Human Rights Campaign to bring GAZE to San Antonio. GAZE transports guests into a world that encourages them to see beyond their own experience and into a future that is full of light, love, and acceptance for all. Rainbow colors shine on through designs etched into acrylic panels illuminated by a programmatic array of LED lights. The subtly shifting colors make for an ever-changing and layered experience that mirrors the ever-changing exterior world.
Equality is on the move. This installation will change over time, progress is the ultimate interactive experience. Guests can become a member of the Human Rights Campaign in the Hopscotch Gift Shop. Their participation moves equality forward and helps the change occur.
The Human Rights Campaign and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation together serve as America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve LGBTQ+ equality. They have spent 40 years creating the most powerful movement for equality that the world has ever seen. By inspiring and engaging individuals and communities, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBTQ+ people and realize a world that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
ThursGayz at Hopscotch – 7p.m. to 11p.m. Ongoing – First Thursday of each month. In addition to opening to the public on Thursdays, Hopscotch is implementing Thursgayz on the first Thursday of every month starting August 5. Thursgayz is a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and allies that will feature DJs, dancing, drag queens, drink specials, diversity, disco, and more. For the special price of $20, guests will get exclusive access to the entire gallery and all festivities. Specialty cocktails, including the Rain on Me Rita, Pride Paloma, and Seltzers will be available for purchase at happy hour pricing at the bar. There is no cover charge for the lounge or patio. All guests over the age of 18 are welcome. The $20 tickets for Thursgayz are available online.
For the inaugural Thursgayz event on August 5th guests can expect: • Music by DJ LilLatinPup • Entertainment from drag queen Maria Maria Whitney • Food from Backwoods BBQ available for purchase • Complimentary cookies from Tiff’s Treats (while supplies last) • Photo opportunities that celebrate all things pride • Be some of the first to experience the new GAZE art installation in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign.
Sunday Storytelling – The Warrior Women Project: A Sisterhood of Immigrant Women August 7 from 3p.m. to 5p.m. Hopscotch will be hosting a book signing event with Dr. Lulu, AKA the Momatrician, on Sunday, August 7. Dr. Lulu is a board-certified pediatrician and mom of three. She is proudly Nigerian and a youth suicide prevention activist. As the CEO of Teenalive.com and Dr. Lulu’s Youth Health Center, she is dedicated to youth suicide prevention. She is a TEDx, United Nations and Global Pan African Speaker, a 3-time bestselling author and a freelance writer. Dr. Lulu tells the story of twenty-two immigrant women from thirteen different countries and their plight with joy, pain, success, failure and love in “The Warrior Women Project.” This book takes readers on a journey in an attempt to educate, entertain and emphasize the embodiment of strength within immigrant women. Guests are encouraged to stop by, grab a copy of the book and get it signed by Dr. Lulu.
Hopscotch plans to do more regular storytelling events and artist talks to continue to highlight and uplift the amazing voices in our community.
Cocktails for a Cause – Martinez Street Women’s Center Hopscotch is continuing its Cocktails for a Cause campaign. Each month, a different nonprofit is highlighted through various activities such as providing discounted or free tickets for members, sending staff to volunteer for the organization, sharing information about the non-profit on social media, and collecting physical and monetary donations on behalf of the organization. Through the “Cocktail for a Cause” series, a portion of the proceeds from the sales of the Cocktail of the Month goes directly to the non-profit. This August proceeds from the “Solidarity Spritzer” help support the Martinez Street Women’s Center. The cocktail can be purchased in Hopscotch’s lounge for $12.
Solidarity Spritzer – Waterloo No. 9 Gin, House-made Blackberry Sage Syrup and Fresh Lemon Juice topped with Prosecco.
Tiff’s Treats + Hopscotch Collaboration Tiff’s Treats is partnering with Hopscotch for a variety of upcoming events. Starting in August on Sunday mornings, Hopscotch ticket holders can enjoy complimentary warm cookies from 10a.m. to noon while supplies last. Hopscotch will also be hosting an Instagram giveaway in honor of National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day on Wednesday, August 4 for two tickets to the gallery and a $100 Tiff’s Treats gift card on Hopscotch’s Instagram page.
Cookies for Community – Martinez Street Women’s Center During August, Hopscotch visitors will receive a code to use when they purchase Tiff’s Treats. 20% of the sales from those cookies will be donated to Hopscotch’s non-profit of the month – Martinez Street Women’s Center.
Third Eye Awakening – Saturday, August 28 at 8:30a.m. Guests are invited to make their way down the Hopscotch rabbit hole and unroll their mat in a consciously curated yoga and art experience designed to awaken the mind and body while inspiring the soul with the immersive masterpieces at the gallery. Inspired by the mural Conscious by local artist Los Otros, the yoga class led by Mobile Om will interweave breath, mindful movement and meditation into a holistic experience aimed to unlock guests’ connections to their third eye consciousness, the home of their intuition and imagination. After a blissful savasana, guests can awaken their taste buds with a refreshing Rabbit Hole Rita to sip while they enjoy exclusive access to browse the Hopscotch gallery. The yoga sessions begin at 8:30 a.m. and space is limited. Guests are required to bring their own mats.
Tickets for Third Eye Awakening are $45 and are available online.
Food Trucks ChipKabob and Backwoods BBQ will make their respective returns to Hopscotch in August. See below for dates that they will be serving at Hopscotch.
Lady Arundel restoration. Photo: San Antonio Museum of Art, used with permission.
Over the course of its 40-year history, the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) has developed an expansive 30,000-object collection that represents human creation and experience from across thousands of years and from cultures spread across six continents. In its upcoming exhibition, 40 Years, 40 Stories: Treasures and New Discoveries from SAMA’s Collection, SAMA will present works from the collection that are currently held in storage and that have been selected by members of the Museum’s curatorial team as works of particular personal interest, inspiration, and fascination. Many of the 40 objects chosen for the show have been off view for numerous years, while others are being presented for the first time. In other instances, artworks capture little-known or under-studied artistic and cultural narratives. Together, the works engage audiences anew with SAMA’s broad-ranging holdings and highlight the depth, range, and dynamism of the collection. 40 Years, 40 Stories will be on view from October 16, 2021–January 2, 2022. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)
Among the highlights in the exhibition is the reinstallation of the monumental painting Mary, Lady Arundell of Wardour (1767) by the famed English painter Sir Joshua Reynolds. The full-length portrait was acquired by SAMA in 1981 and held a prominent position in its European decorative arts gallery for many years. In 2016, the painting was sent to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston for a multi-year conservation project, which was completed this year. The newly conserved painting reveals a new depth of detail and color within Reynolds’ composition. The removal of old, discolored layers of retouching and varnish has given the portrait a fresher and more balanced look. Another work in the exhibition that is being presented following recent conservation is the late 17th- to early 18th-century Chinese handscroll, Peach Blossom Spring. The work depicts the tale of a fisherman who discovers a utopian community. The handscroll, which has been in storage for many years, was repaired and remounted, so that it can be safely unrolled for viewing.
40 Years, 40 Stories also presents for the first time several new acquisitions, including an exquisitely carved Islamic amulet that was acquired in 2013. The amulet is inscribed with 63 Names of God and a verse from the Qur’an, and was intended to invoke divine protection. The exhibition will also feature a recently acquired Petrosphere, a massive stone sphere that weighs more than 600 pounds and was produced by the ancient inhabitants of Costa Rica. Found in groups, these spheres demarcated features of the landscape for communities in the Diquís region, though their precise meaning is not yet understood. The exhibition will also be the first occasion to show Celia Eberle’s sculptural installation Moss Grotto (2016) at SAMA. Recently acquired in 2019, this monumental work invites contemplation of the inevitability of Nature and of human loss.
Other objects in the exhibition include embroidered textiles made by Salvadoran refugees who fled their country’s civil war in the 1980s that have never previously been shown; a mosaic depicting a Nereid that was thought to be an ancient Roman work but was later discovered to be a 20th-century copy after a floor in the Baths of the Seven Sages, Ostia; a richly carved Yoruba veranda post; and a painted portrait of Pola Negri, a femme fatale of 1920s and 30s Hollywood who retired to San Antonio and left her glamorous portrait to the Museum.
Works in 40 Years, 40 Stories will be organized loosely by subject, function, and aesthetic resonance, capturing the ways in which seemingly disparate objects relate to and connect in dialogue together. The exhibition is curated by Powers, with objects selected by members of SAMA’s curatorial, collections, and education teams.
40 Years, 40 Stories is generously supported by the Sue Denman Memorial Exhibition Fund, the Helen and Everett Jones Exhibition Fund, the Amy Shelton McNutt Exhibition Fund, and the Daniel Sullivan Exhibition Fund.
“All of the artworks featured in the exhibition have a story to tell about culture, community, and history. The exhibition provides an exciting range of creative and technical innovation through time and captures the ways in which material culture has always been and continues to be essential to both constructing and understanding the world in which we live. At the same time, re-examining our collection felt like the perfect way to celebrate the Museum’s 40th anniversary. It’s an opportunity to explore how the collection has evolved and is also instructive as we continue to bring works into our holdings that capture the diversity of artistic production across time, geography, and media.” – Jessica Powers, Interim Chief Curator and The Gilbert M. Denman, Jr. Curator of Art of the Ancient Mediterranean World.
The San Antonio Museum of Art serves as a forum to explore and connect with art that spans the world’s geographies, artistic periods, genres, and cultures. Its collection contains nearly 30,000 works representing 5,000 years of history. Housed in the historic Lone Star Brewery on the Museum Reach of San Antonio’s River Walk, the San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to promoting the rich cultural heritage and life of the city. The Museum hosts hundreds of events and public programs each year, including concerts, performances, tours, lectures, symposia, and interactive experiences. As an active civic leader, the Museum is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the city and the region, and to supporting its creative community.
La Panadería’s S’more cookie. Photo: La Panadería, used with permission.
National S’mores Day on August 10 recognizes the most popular campfire treat. Millions of people of all ages love this gooey, toasted treat which consists of a roasted marshmallow with a layer of chocolate bar sandwiched between two pieces of graham cracker. The origin of the s’more is credited to entrepreneur Alec Barnum. (National Day Calendar, 2021)
National S’mores Day is coming up and while it may not be ideal to sit around a campfire with this Texas heat, you can still satisfy your S’more craving this summer with La Panadería’s delectable treat. La Panadería invites customers to indulge in their signature S’more cookie, their take on the gooey, toasted treat, made from scratch and packed with chocolate chunks and toasted marshmallows. La Panadería’s unique approach to baking results in artisanal pastries like no other, and their unique S’more cookie is no exception. (La Panadería, 2021)
You can purchase the S’more cookie for $3.60 at one of La Panadería’s three San Antonio locations, or order online for pickup.
Since opening La Panadería in San Antonio in 2014, the Cáceres brothers’ mission has been to share Mexico’s “Bread Cultura,” bringing the art of their beloved pan dulce items to the Texas market that have since become a culinary staple for residents and visitors to San Antonio alike. La Panadería has seen great success in San Antonio and has shown resilience throughout the uncertain times the global coronavirus pandemic has brought on. The bakery, which specializes in handmade bread, pan dulce and pastries inspired by Mexico’s Golden Era, or Epoca de Oro, draws influence from French, Italian and American bread making techniques. La Panadería’s unique approach to breadmaking includes a minimum 48-hour fermentation process that results in artisan bread and pastries unlike any other. All three of La Panadería’s locations offer indoor and al fresco dining as well as online ordering.
The beautiful JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa in the heart of Texas Hill Country. Photo: JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, used with permission.
This year, concerts are coming back in full force with new events like Stagecoach and national tours being announced weekly. For those who are excited to return to concerts but are not quite ready to commit to a sold-out stadium, JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa in the heart of Texas Hill Country is offering a more intimate and distanced approach to concerts this year. (JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, 2021)
JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa—a 32-accommodation retreat on 13,000 acres in the heart of West Texas—has deep roots in country music and draws top talent to perform on its multiple indoor-outdoor “stages,” which include a private Fixed Base Operator (FBO) airport hangar and the resort’s sprawling main lawn. The resort is offering an intimate alternative to major concerts as music fanatics ease their way back into concert-going, with recent concerts featuring Shenandoah and Radney Foster. Most concerts are accessible both to locals and overnight guests and are offered either on the resort’s main lawn or in the spacious FBO airport hangar, with VIP tables featuring dinner and cocktails available for each event. The next scheduled concert is Labor Day Weekend, with additional ongoing private concerts at the resort throughout the year.
For those enjoying a concert in tandem with an overnight stay, guests can embrace the West Texas lifestyle with horseback riding, cowboy cookouts, ATV adventures, trail and bike riding, archery, and more.
Gerald Ramsey as Mufasa in Disney’s ‘The Lion King.’ Photo: Matthew Murphy, used with permission.
Disney Theatrical Productions and North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio announced yesterday that tickets for the long-awaited return engagement of Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ will go on sale to the public at 10a.m., Friday, July 30. San Antonio’s most eagerly awaited return will once again leap onto the Majestic Theatre stage Wednesday, October 20 for a limited engagement of three weeks through Sunday, November 7. The show’s four-week engagement in 2015 played a sold-out run at the Majestic Theatre. Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ will play Tuesdays through Thursdays at 7:30p.m., Fridays at 8p.m., Saturdays at 2p.m. and 8p.m. and Sundays at 1p.m. and 6:30p.m. (North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio, 2021)
Tickets for Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ start at $30 and are available by calling Ticketmaster at (866) 870.2717, online, or at all Ticketmaster outlets including the Majestic Box Office. The Majestic Box Office does not accept single ticket orders over the phone; all ticket sales must be made in person. Premium Ticket Packages, which include a prime seat location, a souvenir program and an exclusive cinch bag, are also available. Majestic Box Office hours are noon to 5p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10a.m. to 5p.m., Friday. Saturday hours vary weekly, call (210) 226.3333 to verify. Orders for groups of 10 or more may be placed by calling (210) 226-5967.
Ticket buyers are reminded that Ticketmaster and the Majestic Box Office are the only official retail ticket outlets for all performances at the Majestic Theatre. Ticket buyers who purchase tickets from a ticket broker or any third party should be aware that the Majestic Theatre is unable to reprint or replace lost or stolen tickets and is unable to contact patrons with information regarding time changes or other pertinent updates regarding the performance.
Welcoming audiences, artists, staff, cast and crew back to the Majestic Theatre at full capacity safely and responsibly remains Broadway in San Antonio’s top priority. Masks will be required while in the theatre for this performance. Health and safety protocols are subject to change and will be clearly communicated to ticket holders in advance of each performance. Current protocols are available online.
Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ is a musical based on the 1994 Walt Disney Animation Studios’ animated feature film of the same name with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, with additional music and lyrics by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, and Hans Zimmer. The musical features actors in animal costumes as well as giant, hollow puppets.
After 24 landmark years on Broadway, Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ continues ascendant as one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. Since its premiere on November 13, 1997, nearly 110 million people have seen 25 global productions. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ has made theatrical history with six productions running 15 or more years and four others running 20 or more years.
Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ won six 1998 Tony Awards® : Best Musical, Best Scenic Design (Richard Hudson), Best Costume Design (Julie Taymor), Best Lighting Design (Donald Holder), Best Choreography (Garth Fagan) and Best Direction of a Musical.
JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa offers exclusive Texas Hill Country wine weekend getaways. Photo: JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, used with permission.
With over 50 unique and visually stunning wineries scattered throughout the region, there is somewhere new to explore and fall in love with around every bend in Texas Wine Country. Also known as Texas Hill Country, Texas’ growing wine region is one of the most visited wine destinations in the United States and is the fifth largest wine-producing state in the country. Now, visitors can experience the heart of Texas Hill Country and a taste of its terroir with JL Bar Ranch Resort & Spa’s exclusive wine programming and excursion. (JL Bar Ranch Resort & Spa, 2021)
Set on 13,000 acres in Sonora, Texas, JL Bar Ranch Resort & Spa offers unmatched luxury amidst the rolling hills of West Texas. The 32-room boutique resort is just a few hours’ drive (or a short flight on a private plane into JL Bar’s Private Airport FBO) and is perfect for travelers looking to relax and unwind with a glass of wine, with new wine-centric experiences.
The resort has two renowned Sommeliers overseeing the resort’s wine program and tasting experiences and has recently launched a Fredericksburg Wine Tasting Experience for guests to enjoy a getaway stay that immerses them in all things Texas, with activities and amenities including:
Fredericksburg Wine Excursion: The luxury resort and working ranch now offers new day-trip excursions that allows guests to experience the best of Texas Hill Country’s wine with a day trip to Fredericksburg that includes transportation, a local winetasting and lunch at Victoria Gimino Vineyard, shopping on Fredericksburg’s Main Street, and more.
Wine Tasting at JL Bar Ranch: “Drink:” By day, Sydney Beiqueand Jon Joseph lead JL bar Ranch’s equine program, but by night the couple lead the resort’s wine program as Level 2 and Level 1 Sommeliers, respectively. They have curated a wine list on property that is solely small-production wines. Their motto is “if you can buy it in a store, we won’t offer it on the ranch.” All are high-quality, thoughtfully selected wines, available both during meals and as a private wine tasting experience.
Cowboy Cookout: The culinary team at JL Bar Ranch has designed a decadent and interactive social distancing-approved dining experience with its new Cowboy Cookout. Guests can take in the Texas Hill Country views with a horseback ride to the property’s cookout camp, enjoy cocktails and snacks as the culinary team prepares a lavish steak dinner, and relax to country music while soaking in the magnificent sunset.
Hill Country Adventures: From a full equestrian program featuring horseback riding and a horse psychology experience to off-road ATV adventures, a Putting/Chipping Green, weekend yoga, wine tasting, and clay and skeet shooting, JL Bar Ranch’s slew of activities and programming take place primarily outside for the ultimate adventure.
Stephen Garza-Guzman and Nicole Amri announce first in-person events at Westside location and registration for 2021-2022 school year. Photo: google
Following the recent announcement of SAY Sí’s executive evolution, SAY Sí’s new Co-Executive Directors Stephen Garza-Guzman and Nicole Amri are excited to welcome the community into its new location as they prepare for the return of in-person events and student applications for the 2021-2022 school year. After delays to its official opening due to the pandemic, SAY Sí is excited to open its doors to the Westside for the first time as construction on the first phase of the new location ends. In order to remain accessible, SAY Sí will continue to offer virtual programming to serve as many students as possible throughout the upcoming school year. (SAY Sí, 2021)
“How often does a new leader have such blessings? Our mission is tried and true, and we’ve had the honor of growing up with and around our powerhouse of a staff. All this to serve students, parents and alumni who are truly the energy and power behind our organization. We’re ready.” – Nicole Amri, Co-Executive Director of SAY Sí.
Co-Executive Directors Stephen Garza-Guzman, a nine-year employee of SAY Sí, and Nicole Amri, a SAY Sí alumna and employee, plan to take what they have learned from the organization to build upon existing programs and serve more youth as they transition into their new roles and open the doors of the 1310 S Brazos location this August. As the organization continues to establish its new home in 78207, the leadership team looks forward to making more meaningful connections on San Antonio’s Westside.
“We are eager to recruit new students again, pilot new creative mediums and deepen our service to new populations,” – Stephen Garza-Guzman, Co-Executive Director of SAY Sí.
After graduating the class of 2021 and taking a short break this summer, SAY Sí will welcome the return of its students back into its studios starting this August, as well as four major in-person events for the public, including:
August: Back-to-School Art Supply Drive As part of many efforts to put school and art supplies in the hands of San Antonio youth, SAY Sí will give away free art supply kits to elementary- and middle school-aged students on Saturday, August 21, 2021 from 10 a.m. to Noon at SAY Sí (1310 S. Brazos St. San Antonio, TX 78207).
September: The San Antonio Show Centered around local artists, both established and emerging, this celebration of San Antonio’s LatinX roots will dig into the past, present and future, and showcase all the things SAY Sí loves about San Antonio. The exhibition will be free and open to the public. Official dates will be shared at a later time.
November: Muertitos Fest SAY Sí will celebrate both Native American Heritage Month and Día de los Muertos in a slow reopening of in-person events/activities. More details to be announced in the coming weeks.
December: We Are Now: Youth Voices During Challenging Times In collaboration with UP Partnership, SAY Sí is taking submissions for this city-wide high school art show. For more information or to apply, contact SAY Sí.
Applications for the 2021-2022 school year will open on August 1, 2021. Updates and more information on the application process can be found online.
Founded in 1994, SAY Sí is a national award-winning, art-based nonprofit youth development program located in San Antonio, Texas. The goal of the organization is to provide San Antonio area students in grades 6-12 with the opportunity to develop artistic and social skills in preparation for higher educational advancement and career building. SAY Sí programs serve over 200 students from all of San Antonio’s school districts – in addition to serving 4,000 youth in community programs. SAY Sí’s unique approach to education has placed the organization on the national stage, with recognition as one of the top out-of-school-time organizations in the country by The Wallace Foundation, as well as serving as one of seven international youth arts organizations chosen to receive an inaugural Creative Catalyst Award by Adobe Project 1324 in 2016.
SA Examiner 