By Jade Esteban Estrada SAN ANTONIO — It’s a quiet Thursday afternoon when a bespectacled Lissa Martinez, an investor and entrepreneur, appears on my computer screen. She’s in her home office. A poster about tree planting is hanging on a partition behind her.  Martinez, who served for two terms on the Board of Directors of…

By Roland Barrera SAN ANTONIO — The closing line to the popular poem “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman goes thusly: Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs. These poetic words help to support the reason why through exquisite music and innovative programming, the San Antonio Chamber Choir (SACC) elevates the spirit, enlightens the mind and nurtures the…

By Hernán Rozemberg SAN ANTONIO — He walks around from one end to another of his home office, pointing out family portraits in one corner, then pivoting to stacked bookshelves filled with historical documents in another. Outside, his welcoming and ornate backyard has various neat piles of trimmed tree branches – fruit of his labor over…

By Travis E. Poling SAN ANTONIO — In May 2019, cyclists, civic leaders and government officials assembled for the launch of a bicycle safety awareness initiative called Live 2 Ride. While the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic slowed the rollout of fundraising and programs, the effort has gathered steam in recent months. The undertaking is a partnership of…

By Blithe Wiley SAN ANTONIO — Former longtime San Antonio Area Foundation Board Member Christina “Ommy” Strauch first became familiar with the philanthropic organization in the 1990s when she was a human resources executive at Valero Energy Corporation.  During that time, the Area Foundation occupied office space in the Valero building and Strauch was impressed by the…

By Hernán Rozemberg SAN ANTONIO — His soft-spoken demeanor and amiable smile belie a lifetime of grit and valor that eventually reveal themselves when he begins to open up about his life and career. There’s a reason why James Tom Hill’s name is usually preceded by the three-letter Gen. designation. Gen. Hill, the current Chairman of the Board of…

By Gavin Nichols SAN ANTONIO — In late 2020, Blue Meridian Partners made an $8 million investment in the future of San Antonio, providing funds to UP Partnership to promote youth voice in our area. Our Tomorrow, a network of organizations under the UP Partnership umbrella, was started to help youth find their voices and…

By Siri Lindholm SAN ANTONIO — Stop being quiet you. Can’t get help without words. That’s the heart of it, isn’t it?  That’s why we tell stories. That’s why we write.  If we have learned anything these past couple of years, it is that we need each other. And the only way we will reach each other is through…