When MaryEllen Veliz moved back to her hometown, she looked for a neighborhood where she could feel connected to all parts of San Antonio.
and everywhere in between. Hearing from diverse voices and finding all the best hidden gems within these neighborhoods I learned and embraced what it truly means to be a San Antonian.Bria Woods / San Antonio Report
Connectedness to the heart of San Antonio was something I looked for when selecting a place to live. I moved eight minutes down the road from where I grew up because I wanted to feel connected to the communities where I was raised and to the communities I worked with. What makes my neighborhood so unique is its proximity to everything. It’s five minutes to the St.
Having been working from home for the majority of the past two years, my living room has become my office with satellite meeting rooms at Local Coffee, High Street Wine and Press Coffee — places where they know your name, care how your day is going and supercharge your work with a boost of matcha or rosé. To destress I am able to lace up my shoes and go out my front door for a run or walk right through Olmos Park, Brackenridge Park or along the Museum Reach of the San Antonio River.
Connectedness goes beyond location and familiar places in my neighborhood. My location allows me to connect with ease to my New Leaders Council family, place-based leaders who live all across San Antonio, and convene to uplift each other’s voices and strategize how to build trust and make a collective impact rooted in equity. My proximity to downtown allows me to meet and collaborate with civic leaders from nearby neighborhoods with ease to invest in this community I call home.
San Antonio is a great place to call home, but it is even more special when you take advantage of everything it has to offer. Being centrally located will always remain a priority for me so I am able to be active, be mobile, and both experience the joys our city has to offer and be part of the solution to the challenges we still face.