Top 10 bigcitysmalltown Episodes of 2024—Stories Shaping SATX
If you care about where San Antonio is going—its growth, challenges, and stories—you should be listening to bigcitysmalltown. I’m excited to step into a new role as the show’s Producer (which I briefly mentioned in last week's Thursday newsletter), working alongside Bob Rivard to expand the show's reach and impact.
I’ll continue my podcast and interview work with Ensemble Texas, but bigcitysmalltown offers an exciting opportunity to sharpen my craft in media and storytelling. Each week, Bob dives into conversations with the people shaping San Antonio’s future—across business, development, education, the arts, and more.
If you haven’t tuned in yet, now’s the time. Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts, with video episodes coming to YouTube.
To kick things off, here’s a look at 2024’s most popular episodes from the show—and what they reveal about San Antonio’s future.
#1 | Humberto G. Garcia and the 'Mustang Miracle'
One of the most widely listened-to episodes of bigcitysmalltown in 2024 featured attorney and author Humberto García, telling the incredible story of the San Felipe Mustangs—a high school golf team from Del Rio, Texas, made up of five Mexican American caddies who defied segregation, poverty, and exclusion to win the 1957 Texas State Golf Championship.
García’s book, Mustang Miracle, chronicles how these young athletes, banned from playing at the local golf course because of their race, built their own course out of desert land, taught themselves the game by studying the swings of white golfers they caddied for, and ultimately defeated schools with access to every resource they were denied.
The story has been adapted into a feature film, The Long Game, which was released back in April.
#2 | Veronica Salazar on UTSA and the Future of the Institute of Texan Cultures
UTSA’s downtown expansion is one of the most ambitious higher education projects in San Antonio’s history, and Veronica Salazar, Executive VP for Business Affairs, is at the center of it. In this episode, she discusses UTSA’s vision to transform the city’s urban core—with major investments like the School of Data Science, the National Security Collaboration Center, and the integration of the Southwest School of Art.
With a goal of 10,000 students downtown by 2028, UTSA is positioning San Antonio as a hub for tech, AI, cybersecurity, and the arts while increasing access to higher education for historically underserved communities. From micro-mobility to student housing, Salazar breaks down how UTSA is shaping the city’s future.
#3 | The Fight for SAISD: Dr. Jaime Aquino on School Closures, Teacher Pay, & Public Education’s Future
SAISD Superintendent Dr. Jaime Aquino has taken on one of the biggest challenges in Texas education—right-sizing a struggling school system while fighting for better funding. In this episode, he breaks down why 15 schools had to close, how state underfunding is pushing districts into crisis, and what’s at stake in 2025.
With Texas spending $4,000 less per student than the national average, business leaders are now joining the fight to secure real investment in public education. Meanwhile, Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to renew his push for school vouchers, setting up a high-stakes battle when the legislature reconvenes.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone invested in the future of San Antonio’s schools, students, and economy.
#4 | The Conrad Smiles Foundation: Turning Loss into Lifesaving Research
In one of the most moving episodes of bigcitysmalltown, Liz Tullis shared the story behind the Conrad Smiles Foundation, named for her son, Conrad Tullis, who survived a nonfatal drowning at 16 months old but lived with severe brain injury until his passing at 20.
Tullis, along with Dr. Peter Fox, director of the UT Health Science Center’s Research Imaging Institute, is working to change how the medical community understands pediatric nonfatal drowning survivors. Their research has led to the recognition of Conrad Syndrome, proving that many children once thought to be in a vegetative state are actually aware and locked inside their bodies.
This episode highlights how one mother’s resilience has driven groundbreaking research, offering hope and advocacy for families facing similar challenges.
#5 | Mark Carmona on San Antonio’s Affordable Housing Crisis
As San Antonio’s first Chief Housing Officer, Mark Carmona is leading the city’s response to its deepening housing crisis. In this episode, he breaks down the Strategic Housing Implementation Plan (SHIP), the $150 million affordable housing bond, and why 95,000 households in San Antonio are struggling with housing costs.
Carmona explains how the city is working with Opportunity Home, the San Antonio Housing Trust, and Bexar County to create, preserve, and rehabilitate affordable housing. He also discusses the long-term challenges—from rising home valuations and zoning hurdles to ensuring public and private sector collaboration.
With San Antonio expected to gain a million new residents by 2040, the need for affordable, workforce, and market-rate housing is more urgent than ever. This episode offers critical insight into what’s being done—and what still needs to happen.
#6 | Carlos Contreras on Goodwill, Workforce Development, and Breaking the Poverty Cycle
Most people know Goodwill as a thrift store, but Carlos Contreras, CEO of Goodwill San Antonio, wants the city to see it as something more—a workforce development powerhouse.
In this episode, Contreras breaks down how Goodwill provides job training, reentry programs, and career pathways for those who need it most. From digitizing military medical records to maintaining local Air Force bases, Goodwill works to creates real, sustainable jobs while ensuring its employees gain valuable skills to move beyond minimum wage work.
With nearly 50% of Bexar County residents living in financial insecurity, Contreras makes a compelling case for why Goodwill is more than just retail—it’s a critical part of San Antonio’s economic mobility strategy.
#7 | René Dominguez on VelocityTX and Building an Innovation District in San Antonio
San Antonio’s East Side is home to one of the city’s most ambitious redevelopment projects—VelocityTX, led by René Dominguez. In this episode, Dominguez discusses how the nonprofit is repurposing the historic Merchants Ice Complex into a hub for bioscience, healthcare, and startup innovation.
VelocityTX, a subsidiary of the Texas Research & Technology Foundation, is working to attract biotech companies, medical research, and entrepreneurs to the area while preserving its character and history. Dominguez explains the challenges of building an innovation district from the ground up and what it will take to turn San Antonio into a destination for life sciences and tech.
#8 | Juan Tejeda on Music, Culture, and the Legacy of Frank Tejeda
Few people have done more to preserve and celebrate Chicano music and culture in San Antonio than Juan Tejeda—musician, writer, educator, and founder of the Tejano Conjunto Festival. In this episode, Tejeda shares the story behind his new book, Mi Carnal, Frank, a memoir about his brother, Frank Tejeda, the South Side congressman, Marine, and political trailblazer who left a lasting impact on San Antonio before his untimely passing in 1997.
Tejeda also discusses the importance of Chicano identity, the evolution of conjunto music, and how storytelling can preserve the past while shaping the future. This episode offers a compelling look at San Antonio’s cultural and political history—through the lens of a dedicated voice.
#9 | The Future of Downtown (Live from CityFest)
Recorded live at Texas Public Radio’s downtown studios, this special episode brought together top city leaders and urban planners to discuss the future of downtown San Antonio. Moderated by Bob Rivard during CityFest, the panel featured City Manager Erik Walsh, Centro San Antonio CEO Trish DeBerry, UTSA’s Veronica Salazar, Hemisfair CEO Andres Andujar, and David Robinson Jr. of Weston Urban.
From housing and public space activation to mobility, innovation districts, and the role of UTSA’s growing downtown campus, the discussion painted a picture of San Antonio’s evolving urban core. With major projects underway and debates on affordable housing, transit, and economic development building, this episode is essential listening for anyone invested in the city's future.
#10 | Trish DeBerry on Downtown’s Future
As CEO of Centro San Antonio, Trish DeBerry is focused on the challenges and opportunities shaping downtown San Antonio. In this episode, she and Bob discuss major topics like housing, economic development, and homelessness, as well as Centro’s work to create a more walkable, vibrant downtown.
They also dive into the Weston Urban development project, which includes a new Missions baseball stadium and major downtown investments, and the growing debate over homelessness policies, public safety, and mental health services in the city center.
With downtown at a tipping point, DeBerry makes the case for bold investment, better urban planning, and stronger collaboration to shape San Antonio’s future.
