SAN ANTONIO – DreamWeek 2020 kicks off this Friday.
The 16-day summit has more than 200 events in San Antonio to advance Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision.
The events are meant to encourage discussion on universal issues facing our diverse communities.
Friday’s opening ceremony will be a breakfast event beginning at 7:30 a.m. at Jack Guenther Pavilion at the Briscoe.
This year’s theme is a collective vision.
As we ease our way into 2020, take some time for yourself this weekend. Do some yoga with adoptable puppies, listen to a San Antonio Symphony musician play at Mission Branch Library, look at local art in Southtown, or stop by one of the many DreamWeek events. Whatever you choose, be kind to yourself and to others, and read on for suggestions on how to spend your weekend.
DreamWeek Opening Ceremony
San Antonio’s annual DreamWeek festival kicks off with a Friday opening ceremony at the Briscoe Western Art Museum. Paul Rusesabagina, who protected 1,298 Hutu and Tutsi refugees during the Rwandan genocide, will give the keynote address. Tickets start at $65 for the opening event and can be found here. There are also more than 200 events throughout the entirety of DreamWeek – find a full list of events here.
Friday, 7:30-9 a.m.
Jack Guenther Pavilion at the Briscoe, 210 W. Market St.
$65 and up
Tree Planting with San Antonio River Authority
The San Antonio River Authority needs volunteers to help plant bald cypress, Mexican buckeye, Mexican sycamores, and pecan trees along the river’s edge on the Mission Reach. Wear shoes that can get dirty and long pants. The event is recommended for those ages 15 and up.
Saturday, 9 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Acequia Park, 8500 Mission Pkway
Free
Paw-Maste
San Antonio Pets Alive is partnering with Nomadik Yoga to bring adoptable puppies to an all-levels yoga class on Saturday. Tickets cost $20 online or $25 at the door, if there is still space. Find tickets here.
Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-noon
Alida Cafe, 527 El Paso St.
$20-$25
Bunny Adoption Event
Have you been thinking of adding a rabbit to the family? Alamo City House Rabbits will bring bunnies and proper bunny care education to this event for people interested in adopting or fostering.
Saturday, noon-4 p.m.
Pets Supplies Plus, 3133 Nacogdoches Rd.
Free
Free Family Art Day
Inspire Fine Art Community Center is holding the DreamWeek edition of its Free Family Art Day on Saturday, where aspiring artists can make creations inspired by African American artists while also learning their stories and the history of African Americans in the United States. All ages welcome.
Saturday, 1-3 p.m.
Inspire Fine Art Community Center, 1943 N. New Braunfels Ave.
Free
Symphony at San Antonio Public Library
San Antonio Symphony bass musician Nicholas Browne puts on a mini-performance at the Mission Branch Library on Saturday. Kids will get the chance to talk to him and ask how he chose to play his instrument and how it works. Though the event is geared toward children, the whole family can take part. Symphony musicians will also visit Schaefer Library and Johnston Library that day.
Saturday, 2-3 p.m.
Mission Branch Library, 3134 Roosevelt Ave.; Schaefer Library, 6322 US Hwy 87 E; Johnston Library, 6307 Sun Valley Dr.
Free
Free Screening: Wonder Woman
Gal Gadot stars as the titular Amazonian princess in Wonder Woman. Bring blankets, chairs, snacks, and anything else you might need for an outdoor movie screening. Pets welcome. There will also be free popcorn and outdoor games. Movie starts at sunset.
Saturday, 6 p.m.
Hangar 9, 8081 Inner Circle Dr.
Free
SA Local Market at Main Plaza
Check out a pop-up mercado and artisan market, complete with live music and the San Fernando light show on Saturday night.
Saturday, 6 p.m.
Main Plaza, 115 N. Main Ave.
Free
Holocaust: Learn and Remember
Free Screening: The First Rainbow Coalition
Indie Lens Pop-up screens a new PBS film The First Rainbow Coalition on Saturday at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. The documentary, directed by San Antonio filmmaker Ray Santisteban, shows how the Chicago Black Panther Party formed alliances with other community-based movements in Chicago across racial and ethnic lines. Santisteban will answer questions following the screening.
Saturday, 6 p.m.
Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, 922 San Pedro Ave.
Free
Taste the Dream Gala 2020
San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside (SAGE) hosts its biggest event of the year this Saturday at the Witte Museum. The annual Taste the Dream Gala highlights local chefs of the multicultural East Side. Attendees can also enjoy an open bar, watch chef demonstrations, and dance the night away. Find more information here and tickets here.
Saturday, 6-11 p.m.
Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway St.
$150 and up
Second Saturday Art Walk
It’s the second Saturday of January, which means Southtown’s Lone Star and Collins Garden neighborhoods have art, vendors, and food trucks for you to enjoy. Dor?ol Distilling and Brewing Company hosts more than a dozen vendors on Saturday, while Freight Gallery and Studios holds the opening reception for its exhibition Edifice. Dock Space Gallery will showcase Microscopic, with works by Tracy Biediger using color and pointillism.
Saturday, 7 p.m.-midnight
Dor?ol Distilling and Brewing Company, 1902 S. Flores St.
Free
Garage Sale at TPR
Texas Public Radio is getting ready to leave its offices for its new headquarters at Alameda Theatre. But before TPR says sayonara to its old home, the radio station wants to sell off its vast collection of books, LPs, CDs, and electronic equipment. Head to the eighth floor to find the garage sale on Friday and Saturday.
Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Texas Public Radio, 8401 Datapoint Dr.
Free
Elvis 2020
Elvis tribute artist Matt Lewis brings the King to life at the Josephine Theatre this weekend. The two-hour show features Elvis Presley’s hits from the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s. Find tickets here.
Friday-Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Josephine Theatre, 339 W Josephine St.
$37
Buffalo Soldier Day
The University of Texas at San Antonio’s Institute of Texan Cultures’ free second Sunday is an official DreamWeek event. Learn about the African American Buffalo Soldiers and the legacy they left behind.
Sunday, noon-4 p.m.
UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures, 801 E. César E. Chávez Blvd.
Free
BillyRay Sheppard’s Second Sunday Smooth Jazz
BillRay Sheppard puts on his monthly Second Sunday show as part of DreamWeek. The musician will play at Brick at Blue Star, celebrating his birthday and raising money for the San Antonio African American Community of the San Antonio Area Foundation. Cover costs $20, and Brick offers a cash bar.
Sunday, 6:30-10 p.m.
Brick at Blue Star Arts Complex, 108 Blue Star
$20
Miss Saigon
The touring production of Miss Saigon hits San Antonio this weekend with one Friday evening performance and two performances on Saturday and Sunday. The critically-acclaimed musical follows the romance between a U.S. Marine and a 17-year-old Vietnamese girl during the Vietnam War. The play is recommended for people ages 14 years and older, as there are some scenes that may not be appropriate for young audience members. There will also be some strobe lights, gunshots, and pyrotechnic effects during the production. Find tickets here.
Friday-Sunday
Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston St.
$42 and up
50 niños y niñas originarios de países como Filipinas, Iraq, Jordania, España, México, Reino Unido, Dubai, entre otros, recibieron el certificado que los acredita como nuevos ciudadanos americanos durante una pequeña ceremonia llevada a cabo el pasado sábado 13 de enero en el DoSeum.
El evento formó parte de la DreamWeek 2018.
Durante la ceremonia, realizada por el United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (U.S.C.I.S.), las sonrisas de los niños se igualaba a la de sus orgullosos padres a la hora de cantar el Himno Nacional, levantar su mano derecha para prestar juramento y recibir su certificado de ciudadanía de mano del alcalde de San Antonio, Ron Nirenberg.
La oradora invitada al evento fue Betsaida López, joven de origen mexicano, quien se dirigió a los niños recalcándoles que al ser ahora ciudadanos americanos tienen muchas más oportunidades, y podrán en su momento ejercer importantes derechos como el voto. Pero también le aseguró que tienen una “enorme responsabilidad”, la de defender también el derecho de otros. La joven enfatizó, asimismo, que cada uno de ellos trae sus valores, tradiciones y culturas que hacen de los Estados Unidos un país multicultural
En el atractivo y amplio calendario de DreamWeek, inspirado en la cruzada por los derechos civiles que distinguió la vida y sacrificio póstumo del Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., la institución DreamVoice entregó premios a cuatro servidores de la comunidad en reconocimiento a su labor promoviendo la igualdad y la justicia social.
La ceremonia DreamVoice Awards se efectuó el viernes 12 de enero en la Orilla Del Rio Ball Room, donde Sho Nakpodia, presidente de Dreamvoice LLC., entregó los premios anuales a Waheeda Thawer, Andrea Sanderson, Tai Abrams y a la institución Raindrop Turkish House.
La agencia DreamVoice presenta anualmente la semana dedicada a reunir a diversas agencias y dependencia cívicas para promover la tolerancia, la diversidad y la igualdad en todos los sectores de la comunidad, promoviendo –al mismo tiempo- las artes, la diversidad cultural, mejoramiento ambiental para sectores menos favorecidos y los derechos humanos.
Como número final de la semana dedicada al sueño del Dr. King, para el sábado 20 de enero en Ella Austin Community Center, los niños están invitados a participar de un evento ciclista para recorrer el Eastside, de 10 de la mañana a 12 del mediodía.
Shokare Nakpodia es nativo de Nigeria y estudió en Londres antes de trasladarse a Nueva York para seguir una carrera en artes visuales para luego mudarse a la ciudad de San Antonio –donde se estableció permanentemente– y profesionalmente se desempeña en su propia empresa de mercadeo que se especializa en mensajes y publicidad que fortalecen a los sectores minoritarios.
En la clausurar de las actividades cívicas y culturales de “DreamWeek” para honrar la memoria del Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., el sábado 20 de enero, en Ella Austin Community Center, la lluvia no impidió que ciclistas de todas las edades participaran en un rodeo ciclístico en el patio de dicho centro.
Como en años anteriores el evento ciclista se había planeado para recorrer lugares históricos en el Southside, pero para seguridad, especialmente de los niños participantes, el rodeo se hizo interiormente sin que el mal tiempo impidiera el entusiasmo de los deportistas.
Fashion designer Esé Azénabor took patrons through “Culture and Couture: A Contemporary Exploration” recently at the Southwest School of Arts during DreamWeek.
The retrospective collection explored how cultural influences reassess the fashionable image and its central role in contemporary culture. As you walked in, models represented the Garden of Eden, with greens all the way to colorful prints to ironically represent the story in a church.
The feminine style floor length gowns and the whimsical ball gowns were daring, luxurious, and extravagant and unveil her artistic side through her beading and attention to detail.
Azénabor’s goal is to, “empower women through the art of fashion.
The Nigerian born Canadian transplant got to Texas as fast as she could hailing from a family who considered fashion designs more of a hobby. She attended the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and majored in accounting.
In 2012, without any financial assistance, this self-taught designer traded predictable college life for the wild world of fashion with the launch of her self-titled, ready-to-wear line. At her sewing machine, she conceptualized her fascination for heavy hand beading, crocheted lace, exquisite fabrics and embroidery.
Inspired by a combination of vintage, African, Egyptian, and contemporary European influences, she merged cultures to create her debut of her Haute-Couture and Ready-to-wear luxurious collection.
Azénabor has now debuted five collections including her Fall/Winter 2015 collection inspired by Henry VIII as well as her Spring/Summer 2016 Collection with the theme of The Garden of Eden during New York’s Fashion Week.
Her story, persistence and ambition made her a great candidate for DreamWeek where ideas become empowered through human interaction. In a city defined by its diverse cultural heritage, DreamWeek is bridging the gap between people and ideas through an international summit on tolerance, equality and diversity.
DreamWeek also advances the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other great humanitarians like him by proliferating and modernizing their aspirations of a more equitable and enlightened society for all. A small group of dedicated individuals started to hold meetings in 2010 with a common quest to advance and grow that vision as an annual summit of events.
In 2011, DreamVoice, LLC was established as an organization dedicated to realizing this collective aspiration, and in 2013 the first DreamWeek summit was presented with 20 partners and 35 events.
For more information about Azénabor, visit www.eseazenabor.com
It was in 1968, 50 years ago that Daryl Davis committed himself to understanding his enemies, and treating them with love, opposite of the animosity dealt upon him.
An actor, musician and social activist, Davis is known for convincing more than 200 members of the Klu Klux Klan to leave the 150-year nationwide hate group, and hang up their robes for good. In a keynote speech kicking off DreamWeek 2018, Davis spoke to local movers and shakers about his experience with the hate group, often getting to know them on a personal level, overseeing the exterior.
Davis is from the suburbs of Boston Massachusetts, at a young age he remarked that he was one of two of the only black children attending his elementary school. It was here where he joined the Boy Scouts. One day when marching from Lexington to Concord in his scout troop, commemorating the historic ride of Paul Revere, Davis witnessed racism firsthand.
“Somewhere down the parade route, as I was marching with my fellow scouts, I began getting hit with bottles and rocks and other debris by a small group of white spectators.” Davis shared with the crowd. “My parents never lied to me, but on this day, in 1968, at the age of 10, when they told me why I was being targeted like this, I literally thought my parents were lying to me.”
Davis couldn’t believe that someone could hate him just because of the color of his skin. He manifested a personal saying that would later inspire him to take on the oldest and largest hate group in the United States, “How can you hate me, when you don’t even know me?”
Davis placed his platform to take on the KKK solely based on getting Klan members to know a black man, face to face.
After revisiting a degree in music, Davis ended up in Maryland one late night, playing piano for a country band. At the end of his set a bar patron asked to buy Davis a drink. The man Davis met in the bar told him that was first time he had a drink with a black man.
“When I asked him why he said ‘Because I’m a member of the Klu-Klux-Klan.’” Davis couldn’t believe him, he even laughed at the statement.
“But then he showed me his Klan card, and I stopped smiling,” Davis recalled.
Davis kept in contact with the Klan member, who would later be his connection to meeting Grand Wizard Roger Kelly.
It was a slow dragging road, that included years and years of Davis befriending a man whose life’s dedication was to hate him and his entire race by visiting one another’s homes. Davis would even attend public Klan meetings, revered at some as a guest. Until finally, Roger Kelly a Grand Wizard of the KKK turned over his robe to Davis, and left a life and system that bred hate.
Many former members of the KKK gave their robes to Davis, a literal symbol of retiring from a life of ignorance, intolerance and racism.
Throughout the speech, Davis reiterated multiple times to build relations and begin conversations, and listen to each side and point of view, and that understanding and listening is the key to changing minds and creating unity among masses.
“Folks, we are living in the 21st century. We are living in space age times, but there’s still too many of us thinking with stone age minds.” Davis exclaimed in his closing remarks.
Applause roared and filled the room as every guest stood in praise and awe of the tale just relayed to them. Davis was gifted a portrait of Dr. Martin Luther King and lingered in the crowd to meet and greet and take photos.
With the room dispersing, DreamWeek had officially kicked off and for the next 15 days downtown will be filled with unity inspiring events that will educate the public in compassion, and listening to one another’s arguments, disagreements, and to meet a middle ground.
