SAN ANTONIO — Now in its 15th year, the annual Paseo por El Westside invites San Antonio residents from down the street and across the city alike to teach them about its historical significance—some of which continues to be threatened.
"We were interested in building a positive view of our built environment, our history and culture of Mexican Americans who came to this neighborhood in the 1890s to 1920s, and the people who helped build San Antonio," said Graciela Sánchez, director of the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center.
The center organizes Paseo, which has evolved from a few workshops and small crowds to a bigger, more collaborative event with an established reputation.
While the logistics required to put on Paseo por El Westside has grown, so has its mission of preservation. Sánchez says that in the 15 years since Esperanza first welcomed community members to learn about its historic structures, it's fought to keep several of them standing.
Not all of those have been successful; the Malt House, for instance, was razed in 2018. But more often than not, while working alongside the Westside Preservation Alliance and Historic Westside Residents Association, Esperanza's efforts have helped keep history alive for others to see, walk by and learn about.
"What's a city without its history?" Sánchez said. "We work hard to try and save these buildings because we want to reclaim our history."
Today, that means fighting to save the Rich Book Building at Historic Cattleman Square, which the San Antonio River Authority is seeking permission to demolish.
As of now, those talks are on hold after Sánchez says more than 30 community members spoke out against potential demolition this spring.
Passing on knowledge
Saturday's event lasts from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Rinconcito de Esperanza (816 South Colorado), where Esperanza is providing visitors the chance to learn about the west side's "architecture, culture, sacred spaces and political struggles" through games, raspa-making demonstrations, poetry readings and live musical performances.
The anchoring event is a walking tour of the west side, setting out at 9 and 11:30 a.m.
Sánchez said the goal is demolish stereotypes that the west side is "the bad side of town" instead of physically tearing down the buildings that form the fabric of its history.
"Paseo aims to show the richness of the west side being one of the oldest parts of San Antonio, where many immigrants came to live in the 1880s," she said. "Not just Mexicans, but also Arabs, mainly Syrian/Lebanese, Chinese, Italians and other nationalities. The history that exists in the west side is so impressive and worth learning about."
And it's a history that will soon have a new home to shine from. The Esperanza is in the process of creating the Museo del Westside inside the historic Ruben's Ice House, through which Sánchez says the center will continue to foster understanding and knowledge—a place where appreciation for the past can fortify the foundations for the neighborhood's future.
Visitors will be able to peek into the still-being-built Museo on Saturday too.
"We want to shatter the stereotypes that others have of us," Sánchez said.
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