Esperanza Center for Peace and Justice is marking its 30th anniversary throughout 2017. But for individuals who have long been associated with the nonprofit, such as director Graciela Sanchez, Esperanza is not standing idly by, celebrating with a few special events. Sanchez. other staff members, volunteers and supporters of the Esperanza have plenty to do, addressing a variety of local and global issues, like they always have.

By the members of the Westside Preservation Alliance This article is collectively written by the members of the Westside Preservation Alliance, a volunteer organization that works to preserve the history, culture and historic structures of San Antonio’s primarily Mexican American West Side. The article provides a larger context for the Historic and Design Review Commission’s recent vote to allow demolition of the Univision building at 411 E. César E. Chévez Blvd.

The UNIVISION Building, home of the first completely Spanish language television broadcast network in the United States, is set to be demolished at any given moment. The Westside Preservation Alliance, a volunteer organization working to preserve the history, culture and historic structures of San Antonio’s primarily Mexican American West Side opposes the demolition of the Univision Building.

Community leaders gathered at the Esperanza Peace and Justice center to talk about the need for a broad non-discrimination ordinance and ways to persuade San Antonio council members to pass the measure. Panelists included Tommy Calvert Jr, General Manager KROV 91.7, Lauryn Farris, a transgender activist, Maria Salazar, a family law attorney and Alicia Torres, an Immigrant rights activist. San Antonio city council members are considering an ordinance that would prohibit workplace discrimination against lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgendered people. Seventeen states and more than 100 cities in the nation have introduced fully inclusive ordinances to protect people from discrimination over sexual identity. In Texas, Fort Worth, Austin and Brownsville already have such ordinances in place. San Antonio is “At the back of this train,” said Farris. Farris also stated that the homosexual and transgender community in San Antonio is treated as “second-class citizens, and not recognized as anything else.” Undocumented immigrants in San Antonians also face discrimination.  Texas has had the highest number of deportations in the country, said Torres. “The undocumented community is not spoken for,” she said. Calvert said San Antonio needs a healthier dialogue on issues including discrimination. “Man’s greatest challenge on earth is to live side-by-side with fellow man,” said Calvert.   Watch the complete conversation below: