Vincent T. Davis

Justice and equality fueled Charlotte Blackwood’s sermon to the congregation at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio. She stood before the assembly — the pastor had asked her to share a memorable story about an injustice she’d faced. Her message: Nothing changes if we’re silent. As a Black, queer woman, Charlotte said she’s in a prime spot for “othering” by people, as if she’s inferior. ALSO READ: ‘Ignite the fire’: Nikole Vaughn helping kids, teens discover the power of know…

For the past four years, Elbert “LB” Young has emceed weekly rounds of karaoke at the Bob Ross Senior Center, where members meet for activities, fun and camaraderie. Recently, more than 50 people lined tables in the dining room, eating lunch as friends sang standards that transported them to yesteryear. Men wearing baseball caps embroidered with military emblems on the bill nodded as George J. Rippel crooned “Strangers in the Night.” Juan Guerrero gripped the microphone and sang his selection w…

In the 1960s, she loved exploring America on road trips with her family, always marveling at the scenery and sights streaming past the windows of her father’s white Rambler. She viewed her family’s treks through a lens of wonder. She never felt the dread that kept her mother and father alert during eight-hour drives from their home in Columbus, Ohio, to the outskirts of Selma, Ala., where her grandparents lived. And she couldn’t understand why they always stopped at the same gas station when t…

Culture, storytelling and history will be celebrated Saturday at the 15th annual Paseo por el Westside. The festivities will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Rinconcito de Esperanza, 816 S. Colorado St. The paseo is sponsored by the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, the Westside Preservation Alliance and the Historic Westside Residents’ Association. The event is free. Visitors can take walking tours of the historic West Side and view the neighborhood’s architecture, culture and sacred spac…

There’s never a lull in conversation when you ride with the Rideshare Foodie. That’s the nickname of Kreskin J. Torres, an Army veteran who’s traveled to all 50 states, gathering data and details about cuisine and culture. ALSO READ: Social media influencers shine spotlight on local restaurants with thousands of followers The Uber and Lyft driver picked customers up in his red-violet 2012 Honda Accord and ticked the odometer to more than 400,000 miles. Torres named the sedan he just sold “Ava.”…

After 90 years as the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind and Vision Impaired, the nonprofit has a new name: Vibrant Works. ALSO READ: First woman, blind CEO takes reins of San Antonio Lighthouse The rebranding reflects the core of who they are in different ways, Cynthia Watson, president and CEO, said in a summer 2023 letter to supporters, customers and clients that announced the planned change. The new logo, designed by brand agency Parallel, combines the “V” and “W” in an eternal loop. Any…

They arrived with the tools of their trade at Elsewhere Garden Bar & Kitchen, an outdoor eatery on the Riverwalk. Alan Williams gripped his 35-millimeter camera, and Susie LaFredo held her cell phone at arm’s length. Their job was to capture images of tasty meals from the bar’s menu to post online to their food-enthusiast audience. ALSO READ: At 109, San Antonio resident is poised to become one of the nation’s rare super-centenarians Elsewhere’s co-owner Terrin Fuhrmann carried four selections…

At 109, Ethel Carroll rests in a bed in her East Side home of many years, tended to by health care aides 24 hours a day. Lisa Chavez is one of three caregivers who work 12-hour shifts to look over the centenarian affectionately called “Aunt Ethel.” ALSO READ: Right or wrong, no in between: The world according to Madea Recently, Chavez wrapped Carroll in a crocheted shawl and a white, satin turban adorning her head. She tucked Carroll, snug on a pillow dotted with flowers, beneath a blanket wit…

For two decades, R&B fans tuned their radio dials to KAPE AM, San Antonio’s beacon for soul music and community news. The station ran from 1964, when Dionne Warwick told a lover to “Walk on By,” to 1988, when Michael Jackson faced the “Man in the Mirror.” ALSO READ: Right or wrong, no in between: The world according to Madea In the mid-’70s, a deep-voiced disc jockey boomed 1480 AM was the place “when you need a little soul!” Promotions echoed with reverb like a chiming bell. Programming include…

The Mujeres Marcharan Coalition will host the 34th International Women’s Day March and Rally on Sunday. The event will take place from 2 to 6 p.m. at Milam Park, 500 West Commerce St. The theme is “Peace through Liberation from Palestine to Mexico, all the walls have got to go.” ALSO READ: Mike Sutter’s Top 10 worst San Antonio River Walk restaurants Before the march, speakers will discuss immigration, labor rights, climate change, the Palestine conflict, political prisoners and LGBTQ+ issues.…