The Story Goes...

Angelica Holmes is the Executive Director of Black Outside, a nonprofit organization that reconnects Black youth and youth of color to the outdoors. The nonprofit runs Camp Founder girls, which revived the first summer camp for Black girls, not only in San Antonio, but the entire country. Learn more about all of their programs and how the organization connects the dots between history, culture, and the outdoors. As always, this episode of The Story Goes shares how you too can get more involved and support the mission of Black Outside. Black Outside: https://www.blackoutside.org/

Francisco Vara-Orta is the Training Director for Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE), a national, grassroots nonprofit committed to improving the quality of investigative reporting. A San Antonio native, Francisco has 17 years of newsroom experience, including with the San Antonio Express-News, Austin Business Journal, and the Los Angeles Times. In this episode of The Story Goes... we talk to Francisco about the significance of accountability to his work, why he believes so deeply in the power of storytelling, and one of the stories he's most proud of researching and writing. Listen to Francisco as he offers many ways you can support local journalism. Additional Resources: IRE: www.ire.org Media Literacy: www.poynter.org/ Gridiron 2020: www.spjsa.org/

For 75 years, Goodwill has been fighting poverty and providing opportunity in San Antonio. In this episode of The Story Goes, we learn more about the nonprofit's impact, funded largely by their well known retail stores, from Chief Mission Officer Angelique De Oliveira. Angelique shares how Goodwill meets people where they are to "get a job, get a better job, and ultimately a career," and the role of trust in the process. Whether you're a community member who wants to get more involved or you represent a business, Angelique has calls to action for everyone. Additional Resources: Goodwill: www.goodwillsa.org/ San Antonio's Community Vision for Economic Competitiveness and Civic Engagement: report.sa2020.org/home/

Bringing people together in service to the community is always at the heart of Christian Reed Ogba's work as co-founder and Chief Operations Officer of EHCÜ Public Relations. In this episode of The Story Goes... Christian shares her commitment to supporting the growth and sustainability of Black-owned businesses in San Antonio and how she sets boundaries to sustain herself as an "accidental activist." Listen to Christian to learn more about EHCÜ Public Relations In the Black Campaign and Black Freedom Factory, as well as how you can get involved in both. Follow Christian on Twitter @OGchrisO Additional Resources: EHCÜ Public Relations: ehcupr.com San Antonio's Community Vision for Economic Competitiveness and Civic Engagement: report.sa2020.org/home/

As the Principal of Bonham Academy, a Kinder through 8th grade school in the San Antonio Independent School District focused on dual language, fine arts and science, David Nungaray understands his role as a bridgebuilder for students, their families, as well as teachers. David is also the entrepreneur behind David’s Plantas, a micro-business he launched that combines his passion for plants with serving the community. Listen to David share how Bonham Academy is navigating the COVID-19 crisis and what fuels David’s passion for education and service. Additional Resources: San Antonio's Community Vision for Education: report.sa2020.org/education/ Bonham Academy: saisdchoice.com/portfolio-items/bonham-academy/ David's Plantas: www.instagram.com/davidsplantas/?hl=en

Small Businesses, those with less than 20 employees, make up 82% of all businesses in Bexar County. As COVID-19 moved more and more of them to rethink their business models, we talk to Emile and Tatú Herrera of Folklores Coffee House. When the pandemic hit, they realized that their coffeehouse was also a connection to community. Hear how they pivoted to meet community need and how they need your help to serve San Antonio's Southside seniors. Resources: Folklores Coffee House - folklores-coffee-house.business.site Folklores Coffee House on Facebook for updates - www.facebook.com/southsidecoffeehouse/

Twelve years ago, the Las Casas Foundation, known for its work in revamping the Majestic and Empire Theatres, began a scholarship program for local high school performing arts students. This year, the COVID-19 crisis forced Las Casas to take their scholarship program online, reminding us all that the show must go on. Resources: 2020 Virtual Joci Awards https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9Bn05NKeD8

For some, sheltering in place through the COVID-19 crisis has meant sheltering in an unsafe place. Thirty years ago, Patricia Castillo cofounded the P.E.A.C.E. (Putting an End to Abuse through Community Efforts) Initiative, a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about the harmful, community-wide consequences of domestic violence. Through the P.E.A.C.E. Initiative, Patricia advocates for responsive policies and funding, and trains community members to know their rights and support their loves ones. Listen to Patricia share the impact of building meaningful relationships with survivors across generations, and how you can get involved to make a difference. If you or someone you know need help, call the confidential Family Violence Prevention Services crisis hotline at 210-733-8810. Additional Resources: P.E.A.C.E. Initiative: http://www.thepeaceinitiative.net/ San Antonio’s Community Vision for Community Safety: https://report.sa2020.org/community-safety/ The City of San Antonio’s The Status of Women in San Antonio Report: https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/health/News/Reports/StatusOfWomen/StatusOfWomen-Full.pdf The City of San Antonio’s Comprehensive Domestic Violence Plan Report: https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/NewsReleases/LoveIs_COMP%20PLAN_FINAL%5B2%5D.pdf?ver=2019-10-30-133905-743 2019 Town Hall Meeting to Address Domestic Violence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL-KzFu0WlI

Since the original visioning process in 2010, Education has risen to the top as a priority for reaching San Antonio's Community Vision. Today, sixty-five percent of jobs require something beyond a high school degree. For thirty years, the San Antonio Education Partnership (SAEP) has provided students the opportunity to access higher education. SAEP students have earned 25,000 degrees. As Program Director, Rebeca Gonzalez oversees the nonprofit organization's programming, which currently includes remote college advising to students. In this episode of The Story Goes... we talk to Rebeca about why college access and completion is important to her and how the COVID-19 crisis is affecting students. Resources: https://www.saedpartnership.org/

1 in 5 children in the U.S. suffer from a mental, behavioral and emotional concern and Clarity Child Guidance Center is the only nonprofit mental health treatment facility for children ages 3 to 17 in South Texas. CEO, Jessica Knudsen, shares the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on San Antonio's children and what Clarity Guidance Child Center is doing about it. She also has a call to action we can all get behind: be kind. Additional Resources: Clarity Child Guidance Center: www.claritycgc.org/ Clarity's Resources for Teachers: www.1in5minds.org/ San Antonio's Community Vision for Health & Fitness: report.sa2020.org/health-and-fitness/

The San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD), has 48,289 students enrolled in the current school year. When the COVID-19 crisis came to San Antonio, SAISD worked quickly to expedite a 5-year plan to put chromebooks/laptops in the hands of each student across the district. And it's working. SAISD has engaged 94% of their students since the start of shelter-in-place. Willie Burroughs, SAISD's Chief Operations Officer and proud Dad of a student at Young Men's Leadership Academy, shares how this was done and why it's so critical to student success in San Antonio. Additional Resources: SAISD's COVID-19 Response: www.saisd.net/page/covid-19

According to SA2020’s 2019 Community Impact Report, 81% of San Antonio homes have computer and internet access. In this episode of The Story Goes... we talk to Jordana Barton, the Senior Community Development Advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Given her work championing computer and internet access for families, she's also known more affectionately as the "digital inclusion lady." Listen to Jordana share what the digital divide is exactly, how it affects all of us, and, as always, what people and organizations are doing about it in San Antonio. Additional Resources: Explore progress toward San Antonio's Community Vision for Neighborhoods Explore Digital Access Geographically with SA2020's City Council District Profiles Learn more about Community Broadband Solutions In Response to COVID-19

Each semester, Gina Amatangelo's undergraduate Civic Leadership Class at The University of Texas at San Antonio, practices the art of facilitation and elevating the voices of young people. After San Antonio's Stay Home Order, Gina and her students turned their skills from in-person conversations to online discussions. Find out what UTSA students Jacob Berhanu and Shelby Sanders have learned about San Antonio in these discussions and their own thoughts on leadership during COVID-19 and beyond. Gina Amatangelo was recently recognized as the 2019-20 Richard S. Howe Outstanding Teaching Award for Non-Tenured-Track Faculty by the University Excellence Awards. This award recognizes faculty who provide exemplary, signature experiences for undergraduate students.

From 53 calls a week to 5,300 calls a week, the City of San Antonio's Neighborhood Housing Services Department is at the center of a community that already sees 1 in 3 of its residents burdened by housing costs. Veronica Soto explains what the Department does, how it's responding to the COVID-19 Crisis, ideas for recovery, and how you can help. Additional Resources:   https://www.sanantonio.gov/nhsd https://www.sanantonio.gov/NHSD/Programs/FairHousing http://SA2020.org/covid-19-dashboard

As small business owners, nonprofit employees, taxpayers, students, retirees, and more, The CARES Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act affects San Antonians. Accountants, Chris Carmona and Derek Schriver of Schriver | Carmona, breakdown the legislation and share information based on the most common questions they are hearing from their clients.