A look back: Best of South Texas Pride in 2021

South Texas Pride series on KSAT and KSAT.com brings viewers LGBTQ-focused stories, Q&As, and town halls

South Texas Pride is a series on KSAT 12 and KSAT.com that features LGBTQ+ stories in our Bexar County community and beyond. (KSAT)

SAN ANTONIORead more stories wrapping 2021 here.

In late 2021, KSAT revamped the South Texas Pride series to bring viewers more long-form content full-length Q&As. We highlighted some stories that made a difference to the local LGBTQ+ community, as well as state, national and even international communities.

Here’s a look back at some of what we covered in 2021 on our South Texas Pride series:

‘I couldn’t breathe anymore’: San Antonio drag queen hopes to grace stage again after long battle with COVID-19

San Antonio drag performer Alayna Marquez shared her recovery story in June after dealing with a months-long battle with COVID-19 and being put in a coma.

While Alayna recovered, she had a support system on the outside that was raising money to help with hospital bills and waiting for her to come back and find her spotlight once more.

Alayna has since returned to performing once again. She says she’s grateful for those who have supported her during a difficult time.

Click here to read and watch the story.

KSAT Explains: The history and legacy of the Bonham Exchange

As part of a KSAT Explains and South Texas Pride project, several of our journalists shared the story of the Bonham Exchange -- a safe space for LGBTQ+ people for the past 40 years.

What we found was that the Bonham Exchange was more than just a spot for a fun night out. Baked into the building’s walls is a wealth of history. We explored that history and the Bonham’s impact in this episode of KSAT Explains during Pride Month in June.

Click here to read the story and watch the episode.

Creating an inclusive society, one non-binary pronoun at a time

In late June, producer Alexsis Page and photojournalist Joe Herrera reported on the importance of pronouns in the LGBTQ+ community and their significance for nonbinary, transgender, and cisgender people.

Click here to read and watch the story.

San Antonio’s Thrive Youth Center helping get LGBTQ+ homeless off streets

KSAT journalists highlighted San Antonio’s Thrive Youth Center in late August on an episode of KSAT Explains. The San Antonio facility helps local LGBTQ+ youth who have become homeless find shelter and a way off the streets.

Thrive has helped more than 100 young people move into an apartment they can call their new home and more than 200 people with emergency shelter. It continues its street outreach to find other LGBTQ+ youths experiencing homelessness.

Click here to read and watch the story.

KSAT 12 only Texas TV station to receive ‘excellent’ rating in GLAAD’s Local Media Accountability Index for 2021

In September, KSAT 12 was one of three Texas media outlets and the only TV station to receive an “excellent” rating in the latest report from GLAAD, a national media monitoring organization that works against discrimination of the LGBTQ+ community.

The outlets were assessed on various metrics, including fair, accurate, and inclusive reporting, among other factors.

Click here to read the story.

South Texas Pride Q&A Season 1

October ushered in a revamp of the South Texas Pride series to include Season 1 of its Q&As, bringing new long-form LGBTQ+ content to our viewers. The topics and subjects included local drag performers, San Antonio-raised singers, mental health resources, youth groups, network LGBTQ+ shows filming in Del Rio, and the fight for transgender student rights.

Stay tuned for a new season of South Texas Pride Q&As in 2022. To see more stories from the series, click here.


About the Author:

Ivan Herrera has worked as a journalist in San Antonio since 2016. His work for KSAT 12 and KSAT.com includes covering breaking news of the day, as well as producing Q&As and content for the "South Texas Pride" and "KSAT Money" series.