San Antonio Archives - The Race Card Project

Yes, that is his daughter, too.

March 2, 2025March 3, 2025 Dania Abreu-Torres, daughter, mistaken, Muslim, Puerto Rican, San Antonio, TX, white

Dania Abreu-Torres
San Antonio, TX

My husband and I are Puerto Ricans. I am more “white” than he is -He usually was mistaken as a muslim-. We have a blonde, blue eyed girl. In Florida, he use to take her to the supermarket. He was followed by a lady and asked if the baby was really his daughter. He looked at her confused and then understood. He just replied: “Yes, don’t you see the resemblance? Especially the eyes?”, and then laughed. The woman was more confused, but did not replied and stopped following. I was so surprised, but, of course, race in the US is read from the color, never from ethnics.

We are people, not your mascots.

September 4, 2024September 4, 2024 #ChangeTheName, governemnt, impact, Indian, Jacob K Tingle, mascots, Native American, Oklahoma Choctaw, People, San Antonio, save the man, sports, stereotype, TX

Jacob K Tingle,
San Antonio, TX.

As the grandson of an Oklahoma Choctaw, I am deeply sensitive to the negative impact of stereotypes. Though no one looks at me and says, “He’s Native,” I try to use my multiple privileges to push back against the use of racists sport mascots and logos. We must understand that the systematic steps employed by the U.S. government to “Kill the Indian and save the man” continues to have broad reaching impacts. It is beyond time to #ChangeTheName.

I’m not your honorary white person

May 23, 2024 A. Jackson, belong, only one, San Antonio, TX, white friend

A. Jackson,
San Antonio, TX

Benefit and burden with being biracial

May 12, 2024May 12, 2024 benefit, biracial, burden, identity, interracial marriage, mom, On Location, Ryann Williams, San Antonio, Texas, the race card project, Trinity University, TX, USA

Ryann Williams,
Trinity University

In a lot of ways, having two parents of different racial/ethnic backgrounds allows a unique insight into both cultures. It can be extremely enlightening to see how both sides can be so different and yet so similar at the exact same time. However, there is always this feeling as if I am not fully a part of either because of my own interracial identity.

What frightens us about people’s differences??

April 18, 2024April 22, 2024 difference, frighten, John Howard Faultersack, prejudice, purpose, San Antonio, scare, TX, understand

John Howard Faultersack,
San Antonio, TX.

Everyone is prejudiced, but racists do it on purpose, and I’ve never understood why.

The privilege of being white while black

January 20, 2024January 20, 2024 black ski, Joseph Benjamin, light skin, San Antonio, skin color, South, TX, white privilege

Joseph Benjamin,
San Antonio, TX.

I’m a light skinned black man who grew up poor and black in the south, but because of my skin color I’ve always been treated differently from birth to the time when I realized the significance of it being white while black. I went with a dark skinned friend to apply for my first job. I was hired he wasn’t even though he had work experience and I didn’t. Doors were always more open for me because of my skin tone. I was black light culturally black without the dark skin.

The Natives are coming back home.

March 14, 2023 Lucia Casares, Michele Norris, natives, NPR, San Antonio, TX

Lucia Casares,
San Antonio, TX

I’m glad someone is doing this and Michele Norris is perfectly suited. I’ve been a long time fan of hers and NPR. Thank you.

Southern Rebel past woven quilt future

December 12, 2022December 12, 2022 future, plantation, quilt, San Antonio, Susan Lanford, TX, underground railroad

Susan Lanford,
San Antonio, TX

p>I grew up in southern Louisiana where racial slurs were normal yet one of my friends in High school lived in N bend and that was normal too. I’m fascinated with how African Americans out smarted the plantation owners using quilts via the Underground Railroad and so my quilt journey is just beginning.

South Texas Born, Melting Pot Raised

September 5, 2022September 5, 2022 career, choice, culture, economic diversity, hard work, influenced, Jerheme Urban, melting pot, music, On Location, proud, San Antonio, South Texas, the race card project, Trinity University, TX, USA

Jerheme Urban,
Trinity University

I am very proud of the fact that I was born in south Texas, a location steeped with history and tradition. It is also an area that is a melting pot of race, culture, and economic diversity- with a heavy blue collar, agrarian influence. After traveling/working across the country, I have really grown to appreciate the fact that my area of upbringing really embraces other cultures and the races that usually embody those cultures. Like all areas of the world, there are still unfortunate stereotypes that need to still need to be talked about and broken down; however, all in all, I believe that I was heavily influenced by the melting pot I was exposed to during my formative years…an environment that encouraged acceptance of another’s culture, musical taste, and career choices. We honored hard work, and realized that race had no bearing on how hard you worked.

Product of a migrant workers dream.

September 5, 2022September 5, 2022 Dream, Elsa Alonzo, migrant workers, product, San Antonio, TX

Elsa Alonzo,
San Antonio, TX.

I’m mixed and I accept all

April 11, 2022April 11, 2022 Accept, Marcellus Hendricks, mixed, San Antonio, talk proper, TX

Marcellus Hendricks,
San Antonio, TX.

My friend in high school said “you talk proper” I said “and?” He said “you’re black”
So that told me, that what? I’m supposed to talk Ingorant because I’m mixed with black? No, excuse me for having an open vocabulary.

A World With Out A Mirror!

March 2, 2022March 2, 2022 A world with out a mirror, imagine, mirror, San Antonio, Sherry Chaudhry, TX

Sherry Chaudhry,
San Antonio, TX.

Imagine a World without a Mirror
Without a reflection to see ourself.
There would be no glassy reflection
sitting upon the shelf.
Without knowing our own image
it would be difficult to judge another.
For the image we have of ourselves,
determines how we see our brothers
by Sherry Chaudhry

Turban, Assumptions, Fear, Perpetually Foreign, Resistance

September 11, 2021March 23, 2023 New York, New York City, On Location, San Antonio, the race card project, Trinity University, TX, USA

Simran Jeet Singh,
New York, NY.
Trinity University

My visible Sikh and South Asian identity have shaped my experiences with racial and cultural identities. Upon seeing me, people mark me as different and make various assumptions about me. Associations assume (but are not limited to): foreign, violent, conservative, uneducated, terrorist, victim, uncivilized, and dogmatic.

Black and part of the solution.

August 24, 2021August 24, 2021 accountable, Black, Born, choose, history, Jim Crow, Maurice Kemp, Race, San Antonio, self-development, slave, solution, TX

Maurice Kemp,
San Antonio, TX.

I did not choose my race. No one did. I was born into a world with preconceived notions about my race and others. We all were. I entered a world with plenty of recorded and unrecorded history. We all did. I cannot account for any of the history that predates me. No one can. And so, I cannot be given credit for nor can I be condemned for the circumstances that I was born into. And the same can be said for everyone. I was not born a slave; even if my ancestors were up to a certain point in time. And so, I cannot say in earnest that I know what it means to be a slave. I was not born during the Jim Crow era. Despite the fact that my parents were; I cannot say in earnest that I know what it means to be economically, socially and politically disenfranchised and unequally protected by the law. The world that I have been born into is not perfect. And the society that I was born into is not completely fair; but, it is far more fair than it was at its beginning.

Now that I am here, I am accountable for my choices and for my actions; as we all are. So, it really doesn’t matter that I didn’t have a choice about my looks, my race, nor the surroundings that I was born into; because I have limitless choices when it comes to how I process the good and the bad, the struggles and the challenges and the goodwill and ill-will. I can choose to be a part of the problem or I can choose to be part of the solution. Being part of the solution means being that which I desire to see in the world. I cannot entertain spite, resentment and hostility when dealing with bad, the challenging and those of ill-will. Reciprocating these things will only perpetuate the problems we all face. I choose to work to develop myself, to encourage others, to seek justice for the wrongs that currently exist. With respect to the past, I prefer to learn from it not live in it. With respect to the future, I prefer to treat it like it truly matters. And this means putting my present time to its best use. There are specific ways that I am doing this. For example, I strive daily to be the best father I can to my 11 year old son. This effort requires being a role model, a proponent of self-development and a humble student of life. I am Black. But I pride myself in being a part of the solution which means producing value that benefits me and the world around me.

Never keep secrets from your children.

July 22, 2021April 18, 2023 52, adopted, Alzheimer, birth, birth certificate, brain, children, DNA, dodge, I, information, Lulu, San Antonio, secrets, TX

I. Lulu,
San Antonio, TX.

I was 52 when I confirmed what I had long dodged: I was adopted — more like appropriated — at birth. Back then and in my part of the world (Texas), those things happened. My adoptive parents are on my birth certificate as the birth parents. Whatya gonna do, right? I have very little knowledge of where I came from — just gossip. My father died without telling me the truth, and my mother had Alzheimer’s pickling her brain when I found out so she couldn’t help me too much. Therefore I have no personal history. But I know that I belong to the great human race (there is only one race, you know) and that the people on this planet are related. That’s all that I can vouch for. Beyond that, I am hoping NatGeo and Family DNA give me a bit more information.

Biracial woman: strength, confidence, confusion, pain.

April 21, 2021April 22, 2021 biracial, black perspective, confidence, confusion, cost, interracial marriage, learning experience, Melissa Flowers, On Location, pain, privilege, proud, San Antonio, strength, Texas, the race card project, Trinity University, TX, USA, woman

Melissa Flowers,
Trinity University

My mother is caucasian and my father is black. I have immense privilege in my life, and I feel that being a biracial woman gives me a sense of pride which leads to strength and confidence. But this comes at a cost. I am often referred to as “acting white” by colleagues, friends, and even family members. I also feel as though I am looked to to defend or represent the “black perspective” on a number of things professionally. This causes confusion. This causes pain.

Contemplating all of these emotions in the context of being a wife to a black man and a mother to two interracial children has made my identify exploration evermore challenging and complex. Being biracial is a lifelong learning experience – one I embrace proudly.

I will make reparations to you.

December 16, 2020December 18, 2020 African American, community, injustice, Jane Cavazos, public library, reparatios, San Antonio, setbacks, struggle, triumph, TX, volunteer

Jane Cavazos,
San Antonio, TX

I have been reading the stories of African Americans for several years–their struggles, triumphs, setbacks and progress…I feel badly about the immense suffering they have endured over centuries of injustice. I will make reparations by volunteering my service in a public library in the African American community.

Bigotry lives on; so does hope.

October 14, 2020October 14, 2020 Bigotry, hope, Matt Neal, San Antonio, TX

Matt Neal,
San Antonio, TX.

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