January 2023

Konshens The MC and Classically Dope held their debut Texas performance for DreamWeek at the Malú & Carlos Alvarez Theater at TPR’s headquarters on Saturday. San Antonio’s own local music group MC² opened up for them.

Konshens The MC uses spoken word layered above sounds of classical instrumentation of a seven-piece ensemble, Classically Dope.

“It’s geared towards change, inspiration, understanding how powerful you are as an individual, the importance of being a catalyst for change,” he said.

Robert and Deb Carington heard about the concert on the radio and decided to check it out.

“Interesting mix of classical and hip-hop, which is something we had never experienced. We really enjoyed it,” Robert Carington said.

“The instrumentation was beautiful. I was very moved. The message was clear and very uplifting. Inclusiveness, being the change you want to be,” Deb Carington said.

Attendee Yolanda Rodriguez came with her young son.

“I really enjoyed hearing the classical music together. My son really liked watching the piano playing. Konshens The MC had great messages, very important messages that our society needs,” she said.

Konshens The MC will be performing at Carnegie Hall in New York City on Feb. 12.

SAN ANTONIO – For one woman the message of unity, diversity and equality tugs a little harder at the heart, given that in her home country of Iran, her dream of becoming a singer is illegal.

“I was born in Iran, which is a beautiful country, full of history, color, culture. But there, there’s no freedom,” Gola said.

When Gola was 22, she made the decision to leave her country in pursuit of freedom through music. Gola said she would have never been allowed to be a solo singer as a woman in Iran.

Gola discovered her passion for singing at a very young age. She learned to use her talent as a tool for self-expression.

“Gradually, I got to know the power of music and how it affects people, their behavior, and even their decision makings,” Gola said.

After Gola left her home country, she ventured to Europe where she studied music in England, where she earned a master’s degree in music psychology. Gola would then make her way to America.

Gola is now preparing to sing the national anthem at The Mayor’s Dream Ball, a DreamWeek Gala.

“I feel really honored that I’ve been given this chance to sing it, because it’s a very, very big thing for me,” Gola said.

As an immigrant, Gola said there is power in singing the lyrics of the “Star-Spangled Banner,” adding the song is about bravery, freedom, and victory. To make the moment even more special and in true San Antonio fashion, she will be accompanied by an all female mariachi.

“We want to make it unique, and we want to sound different. So, we are trying different ways of making it as beautiful as San Antonio,” Gola said.

The Mayor’s Dream Ball will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater at the Tobin Center for The Performing Arts.

Cibolo, Texas —  Martin Luther King, Jr. day has passed, but several 16th Air Force Airmen extended the vision of his dream to students in the San Antonio community during a DreamWeek event hosted by the Cibolo Enrichment Foundation, Jan. 18.

Curtis Lindesay, 16th Air Force member and founder of the Cibolo Enrichment Foundation, a non-profit organization, offered all members of 16th Air Force the opportunity to discuss their career fields, educate, and discuss future career options to more than 15 Cibolo Independent School District students. Maj. Justin Kulm, Master Sgt. Bryan Montgomery and Technical Sgt. Brian Smith joined the mentoring lunch event.

“The Air Force and the military as an organization have always led the country in diversity, equality, and the essence of what a Dr. King “Dream” society should look like.  While no society is perfect, the Air Force has a system of balance that is based on truth and integrity.  It was important that the Air Force [come] out to this event and show that a society like that exists and functions efficiently in America,” said Lindesay.

Kulm, Montgomery, and Smith engaged with students who ranged from freshman to seniors and represented the diverse culture of Cibolo, a community outside of San Antonio.

“It was a pleasure to speak to an audience of individuals that showed interest in joining the military and to connect with those that are interested in cyberspace operations or commissioning as an officer,” said Kulm, 16th Air Force cyberspace operations planner. “The military offers similar careers as the commercial sector; however, the military provides unique opportunities for those careers, e.g. Judge Advocate General.”

As the 16th Air Force’s diversity and inclusion chief, Montgomery knows the importance of presenting opportunities to students at every level and helping them realize their dreams.

”Speaking with the students was important because we could give them a different view of the military. Many teenagers know what they want to do, but sometimes don’t know how to get there,” said Montgomery. “Being able to mentor the students and share our personal experiences, without any pressure, allowed us to create an environment where they could be themselves.”

The diverse volunteers for this year’s event included teachers, doctors, lawyers, and 16th Air Force members. Smith, 16th Air Force non-commissioned officer in charge of the Commander’s Action Group explained to students the various opportunities existing in the Air Force and the 16th Air Force.

“Getting the chance to speak to kids is important because they are the future. Acting as a liaison for the military, in a non-recruiting capacity, allowed me to listen to the students’ goals and ambitions,” said Smith.

Lindesay values the dreams of the communities’ youth and has made achieving their dreams part of his foundation’s core functions.

“I believe that it is important that my generation, who were the first to receive the knowledge and wisdom of Dr. King’s dream, continue to nurture the next generations after us to pursue their dreams. My generation were highly encouraged to do more than our parents by seeking higher education and dreaming big,” said Lindesay. “The professionals and I that came today have become examples of how following your dreams to reality is possible. This generation needs to see and talk to those examples. This event allows them to meet living, successful dream chasers.”

Students took turns speaking with mentors, were provided brochures, job information and were served a hot meal during the 2-hour luncheon.  The event concluded with a scholarship opportunity provided by a local sponsor.

Lindesay attributes his 28 years of military, and now his civilian service in the 16th Air Force, to his dream of building the Cibolo Enrichment Foundation and empowering youth in the community.

“I have been blessed to serve 28 years in the military.  At the end of my military career, I felt the need to give back to my community.  So, I started at home in Cibolo.  I asked city leaders what the needs of the city were.  I created the Cibolo Enrichment Foundation to find programs to meet the needs of my community.  The foundation core values are Partnership, Empowerment, Community, Knowledge.  Through these values is how I give back the knowledge and wisdom that was given to me,” said Lindesay.

Cabrito Cookout

Save up your appetite for this all-star tasting event at Historic Pearl. Barbecue pro and Monterrey native Luis Rivas will be one of the skilled chefs serving dishes like cabrito, asado puerco and more. There will also be wine, mezcal and other drinks. Reserve tickets here. Thursday, 6-9 p.m. 303 Pearl Pkwy.

Kegs and Eggs

No Cowboy Breakfast this year? No problem. Instead, head to Smoke BBQ + Skybar for a free event that includes breakfast tacos, live music by The Spazmatics and Kin Faux, a mechanical bull, rodeo concert ticket giveaways and drink specials. Friday, 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m. 501 E. Crockett St.

A Celebration of MLK

Renowned conductor Charles Floyd leads the San Antonio Philharmonic this weekend during a pops concert dedicated to celebrating the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. San Antonio-based bass/baritone Timothy Jones is a guest performer. Friday & Saturday, 7:30-9:30 p.m. 515 McCullough Ave.

Eat and Play

Main Plaza hosts a pop-up food truck park each final Friday of the month. Grab lunch from Tlaloc Tacos, Bombass Burgers, Grunts Grill or HTeaO, and enjoy live music from while you eat. Friday, 11 a.m-2 p.m. 115 N. Main Ave.

Wellness at the Tobin: Zumba

Head to the Tobin Center’s McCombs Grand Lobby this Saturday for a free Zumba classby Tamedra Jones, who is certified to teach Zumba, Aqua Zumba and Zumba kids. The class is meant for beginners and regular cardio dancers alike. Saturday, 9 a.m. 100 Auditorium Circle

Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular

Hear original classic rock recordings by Pink Floyd set to a colorful laser show by Paramount. Tickets start at $20. Friday, 8 p.m. 224 E. Houston St.

A Tuscan Dinner

Perfect the art of a Tuscan T-bone steak with all of the sides during this interactive cooking class at Central Market. After working with a small team in the store’s kitchen to prepare your meal, you’ll have the chance to sit down and enjoy it alongside a glass of wine from the Tuscan region. Saturday, 5:30-8 p.m. 4821 Broadway

Meditation in the Garden

Practice presence and mindfulness during this guided meditation session at the San Antonio Botanical Garden. Trainer Marcy Westcott will teach students how meditation can help calm the mind while relaxing the body. Can’t make it this weekend? Sessions are available on select Saturdays through April. Saturday, 1-2 p.m. 555 Funston Place 

Brickadelic: DreamWeek Edition

The Brick at Blue Star hosts this Saturday market with beats by DJ Kool G Kai. The evening will include vintage and local vendors like Green Thumb Gal, Somewhere N Time Vintage, The Rozu, Hart and Shape Vintage, and many more. Saturday, 7 p.m. 108 Blue Star

Art in the Wild and Write in the Wild

Join San Antonio poet laureate Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson in the Briscoe Western Art Museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden for this official DreamWeek event. Sanderson will lead guests in hands-on activities meant to help them connect with art and nature, including clay sculpting, watercolor painting and sketching. After a short break, the group will head inside to the Thomas D. Mangelsen: A Life in the Wild exhibit, where Sanderson will present an original work of poetry inspired by the wildlife photography on display. Sunday, 1-4 p.m. 210 W. Market St

Here’s what the Wellness Panel has to offer.

SAN ANTONIO – The City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts & Culture has an upcoming Culture Commons exhibit from Black contemporary artists for Dreamweek.

The exhibition will share perspectives from Black contemporary artists of San Antonio. The local talents share their culture and life experiences through their work.

The themes that will be covered include Black history and identity, family dynamics, social connections, personal human experiences, spirituality, and resilience. The artworks include drawings, paintings, photography, mixed media, assemblage, sculptures, and quilting.

“The goal was to drive the collective vision of Black contemporary artists as documentarians of the historical and social conscience of their time,” Curator Barbara Felix commented. “When the individual selected works came together in the gallery, I realized the prospect of this show was coming to fruition in a way that beautifully celebrates each artist and their vision.”

The exhibit features work by Bernice Appelin-Williams, John Coleman, Kaldric Dow, Kwanzaa Edwards, Anthony Francis, Alain Boris Gakwaya, Deborah Harris, Edward Harris, Paul Hurd, Carmen Cartiness Johnson, Alethia Jones, Theresa Newsome, Wardell Picquet, Calvin Pressley, Don Stewart, Naomi Wanjiku, and Angela Weddle.

The art will be showcased at the Culture Commons Gallery which is always free for the public to visit. The exhibit will be on display from January 19 until November 17, 2023.

The community events will be centered around the exhibit and will take place throughout the year, including an opening reception as part of DreamWeek San Antonio, a poetry night, artist talks, a pride month event, a film night, and a dance event.

Learn more about all of this year’s Dreamweek events.

SAN ANTONIO – There was a 1 Million Push-Up Challenge right in the heart of San Antonio!

As a part of Dreamweek MACFit hosted the 1 Million Push Up Challenge in Hemisphere Park.

The free workout is an effort to unite community through a single goal and inspire others to live a healthier lifestyle.

“One thing about the people that come out here is that they’re a lot of the youth. That’s really our focus out this year focus on the future. With that being said we’ve invited said we invited some of the marvel characters out here. And we’ve had a great turn out with the kid’s great involvement with the kids. Can’t be happier,” said co-owner of MACFit, Jeremy McDonald.

To learn more about Dreamweek, CLICK HERE.

SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio community has always embraced diversity. Nothing shows that more than the annual DreamWeek summit from Jan. 13 -29. It’s the modern day expression of Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream.

“It’s diverse,” said Frank Trejo DreamWeek’s digital strategist. “It’s San Antonio. We’re all one people.”

It’s a new year, but the same team preparing for the 11th Annual DreamWeek.

“We spent half the year trying to get as many dynamic speakers as possible,” Shokare Nakpodia, DreamWeek’s founder, said. “We got 24 this year.”

For the last decade, Frank Trejo has been part of coordinating the San Antonio event designed to create civil and civic engagement.

“I’m really deep into community coming together,” Trejo said. “Community helping each other.”

The 2023 theme is “Identity and Representation,” which Trejo understands better than most. He immigrated from Mexico City to San Antonio when he was 6 years old.

“Immigrants, everybody has something to contribute,” Trejo said. “Everybody should be able to come together and share their own unique gift.”

DreamWeek reinforces the Alamo City’s history of diversity and inclusion. Historians said, in 1960, San Antonio became the first southern city to peacefully integrate lunch counters.

San Antonio has hosted one of the largest Dr. Martin Luther King Day marches in the nation since the ’80s, which inspired Shokare Nakpodia to create DreamWeek.

“Something I hadn’t seen anywhere else, and I wondered how many people who actually couldn’t make the march would want to participate in some other fashion,” Nakpodia said.

DreamWeek has become a citywide exchange of ideas, with more than 200 events, 150 community partners participating and people in 45 countries streaming events online.

“Cultural dialogue, conversations with communities of all kinds to solve challenging issues of our society,” San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said.

As a Nigerian immigrant, Sho loves that DreamWeek gives a platform to diverse voices. It provides space for the community to embrace different cultures and for San Antonio to continue being a compassionate city.

“Maybe in our lifetime, DreamWeek is going to be one of the largest summits in the entire globe,” Nakpodia said.

You can head to dreamweek.org for the full list of events.

Wish: Water Lanterns in the Garden

Set luminarias afloat in the water and make a wish for the year to come during this event at the San Antonio Botanical Garden that is inspired by the Japanese tradition of floating and hung lanterns. Along with lanterns, the evening will include music. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Reserve tickets here. Friday, 6-8:30 p.m. 555 Funston Place

Wild West Wildlife Festival

Admission is free to this event at the Briscoe Western Art Museum. In conjunction with the Thomas D. Mangelsen: A Life in the Wild exhibit, families are invited to participate in a day of hands-on activities, crafts, animal interactions, story time and more. The Mangelsen wildlife photography exhibit, which is on view through Jan. 29, also will be open. Saturday, 10 a.m-3 p.m. 210 W. Market St.

Culinaria Restaurant Weeks

More than 100 area restaurants are participating in Winter Restaurant Weeks. Make reservations to enjoy three-course, prix fixe menus at eateries that specialize in everything from Tex-Mex to Italian fare. Find our top picks here. Daily through Jan. 28, various locations

Crystal City 1969

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center is hosting this Cara Mia Theatre production that’s based on the Chicano student walkout of 1969. Several weekend shows have already sold out, but some tickets remain for Thursday’s event. Thursday, 10 a.m. 723 S. Brazos St.

Rent

This Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical ended its Broadway run in 2008 but it continues to live on through reproductions like this one, planned for the Tobin Center’s Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater. Follow a year in the life of young artists living in New York during the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Thursday-Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 2 & 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. 100 Auditorium Circle

Tai Chi Master Class

David Dorian Ross, a U.S. and world-record holding Tai Chi master, will teach the basics of Tai Chi and its impact on mental and physical health during this outdoor classbenefitting the preservation of the Japanese Tea Garden. All skill levels are welcome. Friday, 5-6:15 p.m. 3853 N. St. Mary’s St.

Monster Jam

Monster Jam is back in town for another action-packed weekend full of intense motorsport competitions between 12 of the best monster truck drivers in the world. Ticket upgrades are available that will allow you to see the trucks up close, meet the drivers and more. Saturday, 7 p.m.; Sunday, 3 p.m. 100 Montana St

DreamWeek Essence Gala

Celebrate DreamWeek San Antonio, which aims to bring together people and ideas from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives, during its annual black tie gala. The evening is recognizing the importance of education in the city’s future and proceeds benefit Essence Preparatory Public Schools. Saturday, 7-10 p.m. Red Berry Estate, 856 Gembler Road

African Market Festival

The Òlàjú Art Group’s African Market Festival at the Brick at Blue Star aims to celebrate African culture, small businesses and artists. Meet local vendors, enjoy food and drinks and listen to music. Saturday, 5-10 p.m. 108 Blue Star

We Will Not Be Silenced: Our Words Our Stories

Join San Antonio Public Library and the Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio in honoring Holocaust Remembrance Day with this virtual event. Reyna Stovall will discuss wartime correspondence sent from individuals living in Nazi-occupied areas of Europe, much of which was censored by the Nazi regime before being delivered. A Q&A follows the presentation. Registration is required. Sunday 1-2 p.m. Virtual

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Zoo is offering $8 admission for Bexar County Residents Thursday.

Bexar County residents will be able to enjoy the zoo on January 19th for just $8 a person. The zoo shares that this will allow more people to learn how the zoo combines conservation, animal care, and education to secure a future for wildlife.

The tickets can be purchased online with proof of Bexar County residency.

The San Antonio Zoo is also celebrating San Antonio’s diverse cultural identities through community performances, resources, education, unique animal encounters, and more. Dreamweek activations can be seen at the Hippo Viewing, Zootenial Plaza, Africa Live, and the Great Lawn from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.

The UTSA Music Department will be providing musical performances as well. For more information click HERE!