Your Essential Guide to Living in San Antonio & Texas

🗳️ A quick note before we begin:

It’s not typical for Ensemble Texas to include candidate endorsements—mostly because the opportunity hasn’t come up. But I care deeply about this city, and when local voter turnout hovers around 15%—as it did in San Antonio’s 2023 mayoral race—I feel a responsibility to speak up.

I’ve always believed that the values behind Ensemble Texas—like sustainability, equity, and care for community—are inherently political (though not partisan). You can read more about that perspective here. So while this may feel a little different in form, it’s not a departure in spirit.

I’m sharing where I’ve landed in this mayoral race and why. I welcome thoughtful disagreement, and more than anything, I hope you’ll vote.

Early voting runs through April 29, and Election Day is May 3.

How I Got to My Decision

I

From food rescue to addressing systemic poverty, the San Antonio Food Bank works to reduce hunger and build long-term solutions for a stronger community.

A Growing Crisis, A Committed Response

The line of cars stretched for miles outside the San Antonio Food Bank during the height of the pandemic was a stark reminder of a crisis affecting thousands. Today, that demand has not waned.

Serving more than 105,000 people each week, the San Antonio Food Bank is more than just a distributor of food—it’s a vital part of the region’s response to hunger and poverty.

Eric Cooper, CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank, captures the challenge succinctly: “Hunger really, is a policy choice. If our community can gain the conscience and compassion, we could see a day when hunger doesn’t exist.”

In San Antonio, where nearly 18% of the population lives in poverty—well

Austin, Texas. 

A city that’s near and dear to my wife and I’s love story. It’s where we met. And in a short time after, it’s where together, we left (and moved South to San Antonio).

I moved to Austin in the summer of 2016. It felt for the first time that I was doing something radically different with my life. Setting out on my own. I had traveled a good amount before, but moving to Texas was the first time I really “lived” somewhere else. 

I lived a 20-minute walk away from one of the most famed streets in the whole “town” (if it could still be called that), South Congress. 

Neither of my subjects for this story I’m telling here, existed in the short year or so span I lived in Austin. One, in the past, which arguably created the

The San Antonio River is more than just a body of water. Its water has shaped the history, culture, and development of the city for centuries. The river is the reason San Antonio became San Antonio.

It was the lifeblood for the city’s earliest residents and a refuge for the many indigenous cultures who came before. Yet, today, the relationship between San Antonio and its river can feel strained. Pollution has turned what was once an oasis into something residents prefer to avoid. And as the city grows, the need for sustainable action to protect the river has never been greater.

Reviving the River: A Community Solution to Waterway Pollution

River Aid San Antonio (RASA) has stepped up to the challenge, offering a hopeful response to the pollution plaguing the San Antonio River Basin. Founded in 2021, the nonprofit mobilizes volunteers for cleanups.

San Antonio, a city teetering on the edge of extraordinary transformation, is brimming with potential.

The journey ahead promises a future filled with excitement, progress, and innumerable possibilities.

At the same time, we're thrilled to announce a new show dedicated to navigating these changes while preserving and enhancing the vibrant essence of this city we love.

Envisioning a Brighter San Antonio

Texas, and San Antonio in particular, are experiencing an era of rapid and unstoppable growth, a sentiment shared by former mayor Henry Cisneros.

While this growth brings countless opportunities, it also presents challenges that could jeopardize the cherished character of our vibrant city. Yet, together, we can shape a San Antonio that embraces progress without losing its heart and soul.

Imagine a thriving San Antonio where local businesses—our beloved restaurants, bookstores, music venues, and coffee shops—flourish and shine. Picture a city adorned with lush