VOICES OF A NATION

Despite freezing temperatures expected next week, San Antonio’s Martin Luther King Jr. March and Celebration is still on schedule.

The 2024 MLK March and Celebration has been canceled due to icy conditions.

Thousands of people gathered in San Antonio on Monday for the first in-person MLK March in three years.

The exhibit curated by Barbara Felix and presented by the City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts & Culture is free and open to the public starting January 19 through November 17, 2023.

Tens, if not hundreds of thousands of people are expected to participate in the first in-person MLK March in three years in San Antonio.

The Bexar County Black History Resource series event will include experts from the San Antonio Public Library, the Bexar County Clerks Office, and the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum explaining how to access public records.

A new comprehensive report led by the San Antonio Area Foundation (SAAF) and the San Antonio Area African American Community Fund (SAAAACF) found that many disparities continue to affect the city’s Black community.

When she was 12, her childhood home was burned to the ground by white neighbors on June 19, 1939, because her family was Black.

Pronouns -- they describe a person, place or thing, but nowadays, they mean so much more to those who are non-binary and gender fluid.

San Antonio resident Trestan Patton said his great grandfather, Joe Robert Burns, was not a man of many words, but his story is one that speaks volumes.

In the heart of downtown San Antonio there is a nightclub that’s been a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community for the past 40 years.

The 90-minute event will feature community leaders discussing the Juneteenth holiday and what it means to them personally, as well as the relevance to the organizations they run.

There is plenty of grit, determination, skill, and most importantly pride to go around with members of the San Antonio Pride Softball League.

The connection between baseball and Juneteenth might seem thin at first, but the two are closely connected.

On Wednesday, June 9 at 7 p.m., KSAT 12 anchors Isis Romero and Steve Spriester will host Trinity University History Professor Carey Latimore for the livestreamed town hall.

Jalen McKee-Rodriguez defeated incumbent Jada Andrews-Sullivan in the race for District 2 runoff on Saturday night, becoming the first openly gay man to be elected to the San Antonio City Council.

While many Pride parades remain on hold, celebrate with these DIY, virtual and in-person options

This year marks the 156th anniversary of Juneteenth, the day enslaved Texans were officially proclaimed free, two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.

It’s been more than a year since a disturbing video clip showing a Minneapolis police officer killing George Floyd sparked a national movement.

In addition to reading guides for children and adults, the Library system will be hosting events that are free and open to the public.

For the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum, the goal is simple: to “collect, preserve, and share” African American history that may often go untold.

All month long, the University of Texas at San Antonio has held virtual webinars around a range of topics related to Black people, culture and the civil rights movement. AdThe meaning of freedom is always evolving“We have to include a whole range of issues in order to accommodate a constantly transforming and growing notion of the meaning of freedom,” Davis said. Davis said that through her experiences — being a child of segregation — the idea of freedom is always evolving. The power of women of colorDavis also spoke about the civil rights movement in the 1960s and pointed out how the leaders of the movement were all men. Still, the masterminds behind the scenes were women, Davis said.

Black History Month is a time to celebrate Black perseverance and achievement.

The histories of these former San Antonio residents were among the thousands that were captured by the federal government in a collection of former slave narratives in the 1930s.

SAN ANTONIO – “Reverend Callies started marching before people even knew what marching was,” said Renee Watson, current chair of the MLK Commission. And we don’t allow him to be left out of the conversation about the MLK march.”Reverend Dr. Raymond A. Callies Sr. was known as a community activist who fought for better conditions for African-Americans in San Antonio. He studied and followed the philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.“When Dr. King was assassinated, that took him to a different level,” Watson said. In 1986, then-Mayor Henry Cisneros established the MLK commission to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King through scholarships, acts of service and events. AdMORE BLACK HISTORY IN SAN ANTONIO:

Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson shares her story of music, spoken word and poetry in "Creating Black History in SA," an original segment spotlighting those making a difference in the local Black community.

Learn about how the Carver Community Center on the East Side has grown into a cultural hub in the Alamo city and how it birthed the Carver Branch Library.

The San Antonio Museum of Art hosted University of Texas at Austin professor, Dr. Peniel Joseph, for a Black History Month discussion in February.

Prior to the Civil War, there was not a structured higher education system for Black students. Public policy and certain provisions prohibited the education of Blacks in various parts of the nation, which is why historically Black colleges and universities were so important. The first higher education institution for Blacks called The Institute For Colored Youth was founded in Cheyney, Pennsylvania in 1837, making it the first historically Black college and university. It was followed by two other Black institutions -- Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1854 and Wilberforce University in Ohio in 1856. By 1953, more than 32,000 students were enrolled in well known HBCU’s like Fisk University, Hampton Institute, Howard University and Morehouse College.

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history.

In the observance of Black History Month, The San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum (SAAACAM), in partnership with KSAT 12, will air the special “Family Value: Representation, Identity and Diversity of the African-American Family.”“Family Value: Representation, Identity and Diversity of the African-American Family,” will air on KSAT 12 Saturday, February 27th at 6 p.m. CST. You can watch the special on KSAT 12, KSAT.com, KSAT’s mobile phone app and KSAT-TV, our free streaming service available on most smart TVs and Hulu. “This is such a fitting conversation to have with February being Black History Month,” said KSAT12 VP/GM Phil Lane. “We should all be looking to our friends and neighbors to better understand the representation and diversity of the African-American family. Find more stories on our Black History page:

In honor of Black History Month, the San Antonio library has compiled a lineup of more than a dozen titles about Black history in the United States.

A Black History Tour will take place on the San Antonio River Walk during Black History Month.

SAN ANTONIO – Students don’t have to go far or even out of the city to attend a historically Black college. St. Phillip’s College was created and expanded into what it is today thanks to local African American leaders, beginning with Miss Artemisia Bowden. The bishop of St. Phillip’s Episcopal Church wanted to create opportunities for the children of emancipated slaves. And though the assignment was to create a grammar school, she created a vocational school, an industrial school, to a junior college,” said Dr. Adena Williams Loston, current president of St. Phillip’s College. Loston says before coming to St. Phillip’s College, she was either the first or only Black person to hold all of her positions throughout her career.

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio’s Weathered Souls Brewing Company was recently named the best brewery in the United States in 2020 by the online magazine Hop Culture. The magazine covers the best beer, bars, breweries, gifts, and supplies in the U.S. and around the world. Hop Culture looked at more than 8,000 potential candidates and choose to highlight 12 with Weathered Souls earning top honors. Weathered Souls, located in the 600 block of Embassy Oaks on the North Side, received high marks for its craft brews, recipes and use of fruits to flavor some of its craft beers. Hop Culture writer Kenny Gould wrote that Weathered Souls’ resiliency, courage and leadership were all key factors in naming the brewery the best of 2020.

For decades, much of our city’s Black history has not been told. In this episode of KSAT Explains, we look at why those elements of our city’s past are so important and how it could influence the future.

A former Major League Baseball player from San Antonio says when he met the late Hank Aaron as a kid, he knew he too could break glass ceilings.

“I was very much involved in trying to end racial injustice in the San Antonio area for the most part,” Salas said. San Antonio professor speaks about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s less told legaciesIn 1983, more than a decade following King’s death, his birthday was recognized as a federal holiday. In 1989 Salas noticed that Texas was one of three states where lawmakers had still not signed a bill into law recognizing King’s birthday as a state holiday. In 1991 the bill recognizing King’s birthday as a state holiday was signed into law. Now 71-years-old, Salas is a chairperson for the San Antonio Coalition for Police Accountability.

SAN ANTONIO – We’ve all heard of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, protesting for civil rights. What’s often less spoken about is King’s fight for better wages for underpaid factory workers in Atlanta and his Vietnam War protest. “We posthumously romanticize (King) now,” said Dr. Lawrence Scott, assistant professor of educational leadership at Texas A&M San Antonio. We have San Antonio ISD, we have Judson ISD, and then Northeast (ISD),” Scott said. Scott says he is continuing King’s mission to make sure equality and equity extends to education.

On Jan. 19 annually, state workers in Texas get the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day off, with pay, to celebrate “Confederate Heroes Day.” The state requires agencies to keep “skeleton crews” so that they are operational on the holiday, unlike some others, including MLK Day, when state officers are closed. The state holiday was created less than a decade after the federal signing of the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act. Some Southern states this year removed Confederate symbols, statues and monikers that they had long resisted calls to disband. So, removing Confederate Heroes Day is not erasing history. According to the Texas Tribune, other states that observe “Confederate Heroes Day” as a holiday are: Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Tennessee and Virginia.

Read and listen to Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic speech and see images from the historic civil rights demonstration in Washington D.C.

SAN ANTONIO – Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day and we wanted to know what this day means to KSAT viewers. MLK Day for me is about honoring someone who had the courage to stand up for what is right, being fully aware of how dangerous it could be. Up to this day, we’ve marched, now my children love this march. So sad without our usual celebration of MLK Jr. God bless our Land. Dennis BradburnWant to share what Martin Luther King Jr. Day means to you?

To celebrate and commemorate his life, we asked local leaders to share their reflections on Dr. King’s legacy and how it helped transform their lives.

SAN ANTONIO – The Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration in San Antonio will look a lot different this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Alamo City is known for having the largest MLK Day march in the nation, which roughly attracts 300,000 participants every year. But in the midst of the pandemic, the MLK Commission has had to pivot and adjust. Renee Watson, chair of the MLK Commission, joined Leading SA on Sunday to discuss what we can expect for this year’s celebration. Watson and the MLK Commission are asking community members not to march together due to the uptick in area coronavirus cases.

ICYMI: #Spurs coach Gregg Popovich discusses legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Says MLK stood for "justice" above everything. The assault on voting rights marchers known as “Bloody Sunday” was instrumental in getting the act passed in 1965. In retrospect, it makes sense that Popovich would strike a somber tone last year when discussing Dr. King and the racial divide in the US. Dr. King did not ignore it, and it’s a big fear now that we have a group in power that is very willing to ignore it. Popovich was a cadet at the Air Force Academy when Dr. King was assassinated in 1968.

SAN ANTONIO – On Monday we remember the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The U.S. observes a holiday in his honor on the third Monday in January, in honor of his birthday, Jan. 15. He was a figurehead in the civil rights movement as an inspirational leader who exemplified nonviolent protests as a form of civil discourse. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tenn.Below is a graphic detailing some historical facts as they relate to the late MLK Jr.

Click here to view the 2021 virtual Martin Luther King Jr. March. For the first time since it started in 1987, one of the largest Martin Luther King Jr. Day marches in the United States is going virtual due to the coronavirus pandemic. Last year’s Chair for the San Antonio MLK Jr. Commission, Dr. Keely Petty, said the decision was made to protect the thousands of marchers. The city is also requiring any gathering in Pittman Sullivan Park or ML King Park to be in accordance with health guidelines for outdoor gatherings and observe social distancing. Read more stories about Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy in San Antonio and beyond on our Voices Of A Nation page.

Front pages from the San Antonio Express-News over the past three decades show how the march has grown to become one of the largest in the country.

SAN ANTONIO – Everyone has a story. However, Deborah Omowale Jarmon, the Executive Director of the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum, says the trailblazing stories of people of color -- have been historically harder to find. It’s why SAAACAM is hosting a tour in Eastview Cemetery on Saturday of local African American historical icons and the impact they made in the community. “They can expect a safe, socially-distanced tour,” Jarmon said. She was one of the founders of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, establishing the local chapter in San Antonio.

Advocates worry that Black and Hispanic communities, already disproportionately affected by the coronavirus, will face inequitable obstacles to receiving the vaccine. And advocates for those communities are worried that they will have more trouble accessing vaccinations than the white population because of where vaccination sites are located. Yet the state’s designated vaccination sites — mostly hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and pharmacies — are concentrated in more affluent areas where those facilities tend to be located. Out of 140 distribution sites in Dallas County only 10 are located in majority Black census tracts while 37 are in majority Hispanic census tracts. “Recognizing the historic absence of science or health care services in these areas is paramount,” Andrulis said.

SAN ANTONIO – D.D. Decor, a Black transgender woman, is worried her community is reaching a grim milestone. Around the nation, the transgender community has seen a higher number of murders in 2020, with the majority of victims being minorities. The organization says trans women of color are at a greater risk. “The number one -- the number two is one death too many in the transgender community,” he said.

SAN ANTONIO – Throughout the child welfare sector, experts say children of color have worse outcomes in the system when it comes to placement and adoption. Simmons, who sits on the Texas Advisory Committee on Promoting Adoption of Minority Children, said in Bexar County, Hispanic children wait the longest for adoption, followed closely by Black children. The extreme disparities have experts like Simmons reviewing parts of the system in desperate need of change. “Right now, the State of Texas has done a really great job of engaging with kinship programs reducing disparities for Black and Hispanic children,” Simmons said. Their adopted boys are Hispanic and Black, the two specific types of children that have historically and currently need adoption the most.

San Antonio – A San Antonio nonprofit organization is focused on increasing Black homeownership in the Alamo City. How can we educate our African American families on what it takes to get into homeownership?”He said generational wealth is important to think about. You may be in there for seven years.”He said people in the African American community are more likely to rent than buy. “When you can buy your house for $150,000 and three years later, you can sell it for $180,000, that $30,000 can go into your new house,” Paris said. Though, African American families are the main target, Paris said they will help anyone who needs assistance.

SAN ANTONIO - – The first African American Baptist church ever established in San Antonio is celebrating 150 years. “When they came together they were looking for a new life, a new experience, a new joy, so they organized a New Light Baptist Church. New Light Baptist Church is still a safe space for healing and growth. With deep roots in the church, Bryant and his wife are the proud leaders who organized the 150th anniversary celebration. In 2017, New Light Baptist church was one of 26 East Side churches designated as a historical landmark.

San Antonio has declared racism a public health crisis. What does that mean?

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s note: This content was created exclusively for KSAT Explains, a weekly streaming show that dives deep into the biggest issues facing San Antonio and South Texas. Watch past episodes here and download the free KSAT-TV app to stay up on the latest. The city of San Antonio was one of three places in Texas to declare racism a public health crisis this summer. KSAT brought together three San Antonio residents, Glo Armmer, Pharaoh Clark and Josey Garcia, to discuss their experiences with racism and how they hope the city can tackle racism and inequalities. You can watch the entire conversation in the player below.

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s note: This content was created exclusively for KSAT Explains, a weekly streaming show that dives deep into the biggest issues facing San Antonio and South Texas. And they helped inspire the activists behind the grassroots group working to increase voter participation, Radical Registrars. Valerie Reiffert didn’t initially take part in the protests following the death of George Floyd. “I just thought somebody should get out here and get people registered,” Reiffert said. Every single one that I’ve gotten, it’s been an honor to do.”MORE: Vote informed with these voting guides from San Antonio organizations

SAN ANTONIO – Equitable access to neighborhood parks has received renewed attention after the coronavirus pandemic proved how essential they are for communities. In September, the city of San Antonio reopened amenities at city parks including basketball courts, playgrounds and exercise equipment. Edward Landry and Avian Barry took their three children and dog to Dawson Park as soon as it reopened. This year, San Antonio parks ranked 75 out of 100, according to the Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit that focuses on creating and saving green spaces. The city is committed to equitable access to parks, according to Homer Garcia III, the director of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

New Haven, Conn. --- There’s a body of research that suggests by the time kids start school they prefer kids who look most like themselves. And how can parents support kids in a way that will widen their social group? “If you don’t look the same on the outside, it’s okay, because you look the same on the inside,” said six-year-old Mila Moglia. Dunham and his team say kids themselves also play an active role in choosing the information they consume. “So merely by randomly assigning a kid to say the yellow group, if you then ask kids, which group do you like better?

One mother takes the internet by storm after writing article for young black women. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241.

One mother takes the internet by storm after writing article for young black women. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241.

One mother takes the internet by storm after writing article for young black women. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241.

SAN ANTONIO – This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the start of National League Baseball, which began in 1920. In 1949, nearly two decades after that sports milestone, the South Texas Negro League was created and much of the talent played on teams in San Antonio at Pittman-Sullivan Park. It’s the exact field where Swain played the position of third baseman for the South Texas Negro League team, known as the San Antonio Yankees, starting back in 1964. The San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum has a digital exhibit on Negro League Baseball Happening right now. KSAT-TV EXTRA: St. Mary’s University student details career of Negro League baseball player from Texas who went on to have great success with the Kansas City Monarchs and other teams.

SAN ANTONIO – Mental health issues are mounting in the wake of COVID-19, making it a priority discussion nationwide. Local psychologist Dr. Eboney Jackson said the stigma of mental illness and seeking counseling is prevalent in the black community. For Jackson, breaking the stigma of mental healthcare in the black community comes from a very personal place. “Overall, that helped feed the mistrust of the medical community and it branches out to the mental health community,” Jackson said. “About the 1960′s and 70′s, right along with the civil rights movement, we saw this influx of black psychologists and therapists coming about.

Cecelia Flores knows that voting turnout among her fellow Alabama-Coushatta Tribe members in East Texas has traditionally been low. Now, Flores said she and other members of the Tribal Council are hoping to increase tribe members’ voter participation in hopes that Texans in Congress take the tribe’s issues more seriously — and support legislation they need. According to the 2010 Census, there were 315,000 people who identified as American Indians or Alaska Natives in Texas. Other Native American groups, like San Antonio-based American Indians in Texas, are also working toward increased voter participation. Karla Aguilar, the developmental director for the group, said they hope to increase voter turnout among the 30,000 Native Americans she said live in Bexar County.

SAN ANTONIO – Declaring racism a public health crisis in August was an important move for the City of San Antonio as people of color make up more than 75% of the city’s population. Tramelle Jones has lived in San Antonio for more than 30 years and is among those who believe the time for action is now. The resolution passed by the San Antonio City Council doesn’t make immediate changes or specify how they will be made. Another resident, Glo Armmer, has lived in San Antonio her whole life. “We know that racism has an impact on individual health for certain, and when you think collectively, it’s public health,” she said.

SAN ANTONIO – At a time where much is uncertain, it’s important to make sure every member of our community has the means to achieve success. Supporting Black-owned businesses is one of the easiest ways to show solidarity and support the hard work of Black community members. Whether it’s eating at a local restaurant or shopping at a family-owned boutique, San Antonio offers no shortage of options for those looking to support Black-owned businesses. RELATED: Black business owners in San Antonio weigh in on current climate in AmericaListed below are just a few of the many businesses located around the city. 170, San Antonio, TX 78205 https://ehcupr.com/Ethical Style Journal, https://www.ethicalstylejournal.com/shopHeavy Heavy, http://heavyheavy.com/?fbclid=IwAR1RnneVDrIfl2CV_DogZ44i8ZFD7Sl80otPEcddUevAag3BUejpU_TXyg0J 12 Designs, 100 Taylor St, San Antonio, TX 78205 https://j12designs.com/web-design/Tacit Growth Strategies, 2014 S Hackberry, San Antonio, TX 78210 https://growthistacit.com/team/ TDJ Consulting https://www.tdjconsulting.com/READ MORE: San Antonio photography business owners share conflicts they’ve faced as a biracial coupleSERVICEAlamo Kitchens, 11825 West Ave #102, San Antonio, TX 78216 https://www.alamokitchen.com/A Simple Taste of Elegance Events, https://asimpletasteofelegance.com/Black Outside, Inc., https://www.blackoutside.org/Cleanit210, https://cleanit210.com/Dunswood, https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Local-Business/Dunnswood-1451773288447517/Flawless Spa Retreat of Distinction, 13469 Blanco Rd., San Antonio, TX 78216 https://www.flawlesssparetreat.com/Freckles and Brows, https://www.instagram.com/frecklesandbrows/Harmoni Salon, 332 W Sunset Rd Unit 8, San Antonio, TX 78209 https://harmonisalons.com/Industrious Interiors, http://www.industriousinteriors.net/?fbclid=IwAR2rQh9GKOmdbvc9F_modHRyDitqfaqxZcnxVB0TvGu0JjP-dhx06OHgxlAJFSM Productions, https://www.instagram.com/jfsmproductions/Joyez Beauty Salon, 9703 Bandera Rd #107, San Antonio, TX 78250 http://joyezbeautysalon.com/Mercy and Grace Lawn Care and Handyman Services, https://www.facebook.com/Mercy-Grace-Lawn-Landscape-Tree-and-Handyman-Services-111236393544835/Neatly Done San Antonio, https://www.neatlydonesanantonio.com/Pendo Photography, https://www.instagram.com/pendophotography/Royalty Skin Clinic, 21518 Blanco Rd Ste 105, San Antonio, TX 78260 https://royaltyskinclinic.com/TallyMark Photos, https://www.instagram.com/tallymarkphotos/The Event Flipper, http://www.theeventflipper.com/The Wax Factor Studio, 4411 Walzem Rd Ste 204, San Antonio, TX 78218 https://thewaxfactorstudio.com/

In August, the City of San Antonio passed a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis. San Antonio joined upwards of 80 other cities, counties and states which have made similar declarations, according to the American Public Health Association. To understand why racism was deemed a public health crisis, as well as what the next steps are for San Antonio, it’s important to look back at how this movement began. Following a state summit on health equity, the Wisconsin Public Health Association became the first organization to officially pass a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis in 2018. He adds, “Our mission here at Milwaukee County literally, literally is by achieving racial equity, Milwaukee is the healthiest county in the nation.”However, the road ahead is long.

SAN ANTONIO The demonstrations that followed the killing of George Floyd were historic. Tens of thousands of people across the nation marched against racism and police violence. The Black Lives Matter movement, which aims to transform a nation from its racists roots to a nation that is equal and just, has gained momentum. Local Black business owners say theyre happy with the recent support from the community, but hope this movement leads to real change. Watch the video in the above player to hear more from Black business owners.

Webb spent more than three decades in law enforcement before she and co-founder, Randy Friedman, founded RITE Academy in 2015. Webb says emotional intelligence training is not just for athletes, it works for law enforcement officers, too. Jones says his encounter along with being in law enforcement allows him to see both sides of what happened between Ometu and SAPD officers. Law enforcement officers are also taught how to identify block-out syndrome. Webb says their training program is different than diversity cultural classes law enforcement officers take.

SAN ANTONIO Watching over her students as they pli, jump and glide across the studio floor, Danielle Campbell Steans, director and owner of the San Antonio Ballet School, says she couldnt be prouder. Steans was introduced to dance at a young age, learning everything from ballet to tap and jazz. "Making ballet as inclusive as possible has really been my mission," Steans says. Steans claims most ballet schools work from a syllabus, while her school follows a curriculum that sets it apart. Like most small businesses, the San Antonio Ballet School was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

SPRING BRANCH, Texas The national push to support black-owned businesses has impacted a San Antonio area winery in a positive way. I mean people come out of the woodwork from Austin, from Houston, from Dallas, from San Antonio and its been great, said Sheila Adams. San Antonio photographers, business owners share conflicts theyve faced as biracial coupleYou can also order wine on their website if you live in Texas. The push to support black-owned or minority-owned businesses came after the death of George Floyd, which prompted a national conversation about racial justice and inequities. We know that black-owned businesses dont always survive, said Sheila.

SAN ANTONIO **Editors note - Unheard: Stories from the Alamo City is a KSAT feature that gives our viewers the chance to tell their unique stories. For the past 11 years living in San Antonio, they have shot many weddings, sometimes up to five a month. We really want to expand and take people out into nature, David Crockett said. Stepping away from snapping wedding photos has also allowed the biracial couple to take a look at race relations in San Antonio. I think everybody in San Antonio just gets along and its all about enjoying each others difference and our different cultures, David Crockett said.

SAN ANTONIO Numerous people had a hand in developing the resolution San Antonios City Council passed on Thursday, declaring racism as a public health crisis. While the Office of Equity was the main city department involved, the lesser-known Office of Health Equity also played a role and helped provide some of the data on health outcomes here in Bexar County. We took a closer look at what specifically it is they do for the city. The full story can be watched above in the video player. RELATED: City Council passes resolution that declares racism as a public health crisis

SAN ANTONIO Jason and Alejandra Bryant have a passion for photography and telling peoples stories, but their own has been somewhat of a rocky one as a biracial couple. Jason encouraged the San Antonio native to get behind the lens. They launched Meet the Bryants Photography. Jason and Alejandra are not only business owners but also full-time parents to their 19-month-old daughter, Jasale. Like many small business owners across America, the Bryants photography business came to a screeching halt at the beginning of the pandemic.

However, it includes various commitments to pursue racial equity, like reviewing policies and procedures to eliminate racial bias and working with historically marginalized communities to find solutions for health equity issues. The resolution resulted from a merger of drafts supported by District 2 Councilwoman Jada Andrews-Sullivan and District 7 Councilwoman Ana Sandoval, with input from the city's Office of Equity and the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District's Office of Health Equity. The document references various challenges people of color face, including worse health outcomes and harder economic circumstances in Bexar County. That section had been added upon District Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran's request after an Aug. 7 Community Health and Equity Committee meeting. At current, public health is slated to receive $19.3 million in the upcoming budget.

SAN ANTONIO – The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody did not only spark a national conversation about police brutality, but it also breathed new life into the discussion on longstanding racial inequities in the United States. Some of these gaps were further inflamed by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which has affected some parts of San Antonio harder than others. From access to internet to incarceration rates, here are some glaring racial inequities that exist in the United States and San Antonio. A median Black household earned just 59 cents for every dollar a median white household earned. The Alamo City received national attention after aerial shots showed an astounding line at a San Antonio Food Bank distribution site in April.

SAN ANTONIO Love is available to you, no matter what you look like or who you want to spend your life with. Its a message local wedding planner and owner of All The Days, Jordan Maney, has been sending to potential clients since starting her own business in 2016. When I started my business, I knew that I wanted it to be different than, you know, the cookie cutter wedding planning service, Maney said. When it came to marketing her new business, Maney decided to do so with an emphasis on inclusivity. No matter who you are, where you come from, how you love, who you love, love is available to you, she said.

SAN ANTONIO Navigating college can life be difficult for any student but more so for those who have aged out of the foster system and dont have a support system like most. A report by Texas Higher Education Foster Care Liaisons showed that though 80% of foster youth want to go to college, only 2% to 9% of foster youth will actually graduate with a bachelors degree. Those numbers and the unique challenges faced by people who are in or age out of the foster system are why Bexar County set up the Fostering Education Success Pilot Project. The collaborative partnership looks to keep providing more opportunities for foster youth both academically and emotionally to succeed in college. We have a lot to offer and help make that transition and pathway as seamless as possible, Buford said.

SAN ANTONIO Kimiya Factory has been on the front lines of the San Antonio protests since the killing of George Floyd. It offers the city, businesses and organizations a seat at the race relations conversation table. RELATED: Activist who helped organize peaceful San Antonio protest for George Floyd so happy city represented black livesFactory said the nonprofit is offering a report card to organizations to see where they stand on racial inequity, inclusion and diversity in the workplace. I think San Antonio is definitely headed in that direction.Long before Floyds killing, Factory was focused on making systemic changes and activism. Congressman John Lewis has only inspired her to continue to work for underserved communities in San Antonio.

SAN ANTONIO EDITORS NOTE-- This video contains extended interviews and bonus footage created specifically for the KSAT-TV streaming app. From San Antonio to Washington D.C., some of our citys young activists are taking their voices to the nations capital. Reliable Revolutionaries is a civil rights group made up of several San Antonio organizations all after the same mission: justice for all. And I know that 80,000 people in San Antonio voted for Barack Obama the first time and they never voted again. These young activists are following in the footsteps of former U.S. Representative and civil rights activists John Lewis who passed away July 17.

SAN ANTONIO The numbers continue to increase and hospital staff across the city are beginning to fear the worse. University Hospital hospitalist Dr. Kamyar Haghayeghi tells KSAT 12 that they are currently managing many more critically ill patients than they had four to five weeks ago. UTHealth hiring COVID-19 contract tracers in San Antonio with pay starting at $15 an hourIm taking care of the sickest patients Ive ever seen, Haghayeghi said. He goes on to say that the entire staff is working longer hours and anywhere from 7 to 14 days straight. Also, those 10 years or older must wear a face covering over their nose and mouth when in a public place.

This week’s episode of KSAT Explains focuses on the uneven impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our city, and the existing inequalities it has spotlighted.

SAN ANTONIO **Editors note: This KSAT series gives people that call San Antonio home a chance to tell their stories. Over the past month, since George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police, protests have erupted around the world, including in San Antonio. Marc Magallanez was born and raised on the south side of San Antonio. Magallanez, a San Antonio College student studying public administration, says his past experiences with law enforcement prompted him to join the protests in San Antonio. Unheard SA: Every San Antonian has a story to tell"In order to get respect, you've got to give respect," Magallanez said.

San Antonio Almost all of the San Antonio City Council members raised fists in solidarity with police reform advocates at a meeting Thursday. And city council, I am calling on you to raise a fist or take a knee if you stand in solidarity with us today.Almost all of the council members could be seen raising their fists during the the moment of silence. If you truly cared and wanted to make a change, you would put together some things that would make a change now, impact now, Pharoah Clark told council members. The council members were considering a resolution outlining priorities for discussions with the San Antonio Police Officer Association for the next union contract. Some of the speakers criticized the council for the upcoming break, though council members and the mayor said that doesnt mean they are going anywhere.

In the premiere episode of KSAT Explains, we take an in-depth look at the unrest we’ve seen across the country since the killing of George Floyd, how protests have played out here at home and examine what it means to be black in San Antonio.

SAN ANTONIO Weathered Souls Brewery co-founder and owner Marcus Baskerville knows what it's like to be racially profiled. He's one in a very small group of black owners in the brewery industry so he came up with the Black is Beautiful campaign. The feedback from the San Antonio community has been overwhelmingly positive. I think San Antonio has actually been really great as far as the acceptance of people of color dealing with certain backgrounds and certain professional positions, said Baskerville. Weathered Souls Brewery, which is located on the near North Side on Embassy Oaks, will begin selling Black is Beautiful in July.

SAN ANTONIO – For over 40 years Gilbert's Mexican Restaurant has been a staple on the west side. The last few months have caused owner Gilbert Rodriguez to feel stressed and often times depressed. “I never thought this was going to happen and it scares me because we don’t know what lies ahead,” Rodriguez said. The first time we visited the restaurant for Flavor Favs back in 2016, the place was jammed packed and full of energy. Gilbert’s Mexican Restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday and is located at 8138 Marbach Rd.

There is a team of about 40 historians and researchers who’ve created a new school curriculum called Black History 365; An Inclusive Account of American History, that explores crucial pieces of history often left out of text books. “We have over 3,000 original images that many people have never seen before,” said BH365 CEO, Walter Milton Jr., who said the course work chronicles black history, the good, bad and the ugly. And then we come all the way up to contemporary history,” Milton said. BH365 media relations director Carleen Brown said the course work also includes a musical component that students listen to and learn about music from different eras. Black History 365 is expected to be incorporated into more than a dozen school curriculums, mostly in Dallas, by this fall with more throughout the state and nation over time.

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s note: This video was created specifically for the KSAT-TV streaming app. But a man with a plan stepped up to the microphone, calmed the crowd and got Mayor Ron Nirenberg to listen. Speakers urge San Antonio City Council to ‘defund the police’ during budget discussionsClark wrote a list of 10 requests that he believes would push San Antonio in the right direction towards ending police brutality and racial injustices. Mayor Ron Nirenberg speaks to community on Day 6 of George Floyd protests in San AntonioAfter presenting his petition, Clark met with Mayor Ron Nirenberg and walked him down to the downtown rally. Nirenberg said he and Clark will meet daily to try and tackle Clark and the community’s list.

Im choosing my players, Im going to press send. I told my players thats the very thing we cant do anymore. I opened the forum up, and you can ask these guys, but Im going to guess it went 2.5 hours. Im going to try, as well as my teammates, to push stuff to be relevant and try to do stuff the right way. Like coach said, he has black players, and this could have been anyone of us.

Instagram users were encouraged to caption their picture #BlackoutTuesday as a form of solidarity and online activism ignorer to amplify the voices of the black community. Users posted the names and website links to local black-owned businesses and organizations such as Black Outside, Inc. Holmes is the executive director of Black Outside. It remained inactive for approximately 40 years until Black Outside resurrected the program last year. “Last year we served 30 girls,” Holmes said.