A Day of Heart and History: Honoring San Antonio’s Unsung Heroes at the Texas Capitol

On May 29, 2025, the Texas Capitol in Austin was filled with applause, hugs, and deep emotion as Texas State Representative Josey Garcia led a private moving ceremony honoring some of San Antonio’s most impactful changemakers — people whose passion and leadership have uplifted San Antonio and her House District 124 and beyond.

But the event was no accident. Behind the scenes, it was organized by Christopher Herring, San Antonio veteran, civic leader, and 2025 mayoral candidate, who, working closely with Pharaoh Clark, Chief of Staff to HD 124, carefully prepared certificates and coordinated details to ensure these champions were recognized before the close of the 89th Texas Legislative Session. “We wanted to set them into history,” Herring shared. Nearly 70 attendees — many stepping inside the Capitol’s “People’s House” for the very first time — gathered to receive their recognition in the early morning and waited and watched Representative Garcia enter their names and organizations into the official House record from the House Floor during the late-starting 2:00 PM session. Herring’s wife, Teresa Chavarria, put it best: “This wasn’t just about awards; it was about lifting up people who sacrifice and put — the children, elderly, and the overlooked workers.”

Among the honorees was King Kyle Lee, beloved San Antonio rap artist and founder of the Anti-Bully Gang, whose birthday made the moment especially meaningful. With his proud parents by his side, Kyle accepted his honor, celebrating over a decade of blending music and activism to uplift bullied youth across Texas. His work is highly applauded on social media as people identify with King Kyle Lee, a rapper who cares deeply about the welfare of children. His family, business leaders, and even bullying victims came to be present to witness the ceremony. And standing just as proudly, with a surprised recognition from the State Representative, was his mother, Brenda Kinion, a veteran educator who was also honored that day for her more than four decades of service, inspiring generations of students and instilling in Kyle the values that now fuel his own community advocacy.

Nearby, Joe and Stephanie Garza, founders of the Texas Red Wolves — San Antonio’s very own professional team in the American Basketball Association (ABA) — reflected on their 10-year mission of using sports to build youth opportunity through Kick Start Sports Foundation. The ABA, a legendary league originally launched in 1967, revolutionized basketball with innovations like the three-point line, the red-white-and-blue basketball, and a fast-paced, electrifying style of play. It’s the league that launched the careers of basketball icons like Julius “Dr. J” Erving, George “The Iceman” Gervin, Artis “The A-Train” Gilmore, and Spencer Haywood. Though today’s ABA was re-established in 2000 as a semi-professional league, it proudly carries forward that same spirit of opportunity, innovation, and community entertainment — giving talented players a platform to shine and giving local families an affordable, thrilling basketball experience.”

The San Antonio Hotel & Lodging Association (SAHLA), led by Chairman Chaitan Mugili and President Michelle Madson, was honored for its century of driving San Antonio’s hospitality economy and opening career doors for local families and students. Under the leadership of Chairman Chaitan Mugili, SAHLA has not only strengthened its industry advocacy but has also forged a groundbreaking partnership with the Alamo Workforce system, elevating hospitality from a misunderstood sector into an official, recognized career pathway. “We are reshaping how San Antonio’s students, workers, and families view the long-term potential of hospitality,” Mugili says. “It’s no longer just a job — it’s a gateway to economic mobility, lifelong skills, and leadership opportunities.”

Grassroots changemaker Sara Lucy stood proudly as she accepted recognition for founding Street News SA, a mutual aid network that now supports over 135,000 San Antonians. What began in 2020 as a simple effort to help neighbors find groceries and water during the pandemic has grown into one of Texas’s largest community-driven support networks. “I never imagined it would grow like this,” Sara shared, smiling through tears. “We just wanted to help the next street — and now it’s touched the whole Southside of the city.”

Also honored was the nonprofit Breaking Down Walls, which has delivered youth mentorship, health, and leadership programs across San Antonio for over a decade. Although NFL veteran and founder Lenny Walls couldn’t attend, his dynamic Board Member Desiree Serna Martinez proudly accepted the recognition on their behalf. But Desiree’s influence doesn’t stop there — her work has blossomed far beyond Breaking Down Walls as she has gone on to organize and advise numerous other nonprofits, showing them how to become more effective and sustainable. Herring, who helped inspire the Breaking Down Walls name 13 years ago, proudly calls Desiree the “Non-Profit Guru” for her unmatched passion for serving the nonprofit sector and her unique ability to connect organizations to essential funding and partnerships.

A particularly moving moment came when the late Hussien Ali, founder of the San Antonio Observer, was posthumously honored for his trailblazing work in Black journalism and advocacy. His widow sat proudly in the audience, eyes glistening with emotion, as their son, Waseem Ali, stepped forward to accept the award on behalf of their family’s media legacy — celebrating the Observer’s 30th anniversary. The Observer’s roots run deep: alongside the San Antonio Register, one of the oldest African American newspapers in Texas dating back to the 1930s, the family has spent decades amplifying Black voices, advocating for civil rights, and chronicling the triumphs and challenges of San Antonio’s African American community. As applause filled the room, it was clear that the Ali family’s work has left a permanent mark — not just in print, but in the lives and hearts of those they serve.

In a small Capitol conference room, the honorees gathered not just to collect certificates and special flags flown in their honor but to reflect on why they were being recognized — because every one of them has fought for San Antonio’s underdogs, working to uplift the children, the marginalized, and those too often left out of the headlines. “Today,” Herring said, “they are seen, they are honored, and they are written into the story of Texas.”

Snapshot Profiles of the Honorees

⭐ King Kyle Lee (Anti-Bully Gang)
San Antonio rap artist, youth advocate, and founder of Anti-Bully Gang, Kyle has uplifted over 200 children facing bullying, blending music, mentorship, and social change.

⭐ Brenda Kinion (Educator)
A veteran educator with over four decades of service, Brenda has shaped generations of students and inspired her son, King Kyle Lee, whose own advocacy work carries forward her legacy of compassion and leadership.

⭐ Joe & Stephanie Garza (Texas Red Wolves)
Co-founders of San Antonio’s ABA basketball team, they combine sports leadership with youth development, marking 10 years of impact through Kick Start Sports.

⭐ Chaitan Mugili & Michelle Madson (San Antonio Hotel & Lodging Association)
Chairman and President of SAHLA, they lead a $21.5 billion industry in San Antonio, advancing workforce development and creating career pathways for students and families.

⭐ Sara Lucy (Street News SA)
Founder of a 135,000-member mutual aid network, Sara mobilized neighbors to support one another during the COVID-19 pandemic, creating one of Texas’s most impactful grassroots movements.

⭐ Lenny Walls & Desiree Serna Martinez (Breaking Down Walls)
Former NFL star and nonprofit strategist duo, they deliver physical fitness, health, wealth, and leadership programs that transform young lives across San Antonio.

⭐ Hussien Ali (posthumous) & Waseem Ali (San Antonio Observer & Register)
Honoring the late Hussien Ali’s legacy, Waseem Ali continues leading the Observer, ensuring San Antonio’s Black stories, voices, and achievements remain part of the city’s living record.