'The message that we want to bring with Black History Month is: welcome, everybody' KYLE — “Fanga Alafia, Ashé Ashé,” meaning “good health and peace to you” — a traditional West African call and response — echoed throughout Legend Oaks Rehabilitation and Healthcare in Kyle. During the month of Febru...

BLACK HISTORY MONTH ‘We need to celebrate the untold’ Kyle — Having tough but much-needed conversations will encourage progress and create peace, which is the idea behind Kyle’s triannual dialogue series. The city hosted its third Black History Month Dialogue for Peace and Progress on Feb. 17 at Kyl...

The Buda Black History Month Celebration featured an array of performers from spoken word to dance throughout the day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Buda Ampitheater and City Park. Vendors, such as Letitia Nwachukwu, Left, owner of Eagleiz African Boutique, were also present, offering a variety of go...

Photo by Natalie Frels The city of Kyle voted to approve a proclamation to celebrate Black History Month for the month of February. This year’s theme is “Resistance.” The proclamation also honored the first black Kyle council member, Maddie Welch, center. “I am very honored to bring this forward bec...

KASZ members celebrated with an exhibit of Black Medical Pioneers last month for Black History Month. Local historian, Anthony Davis, also came to speak to members last month on Hays County and Kyle African-American history. From front left around back and to the front right are: Ellen Ermis, Jacci ...

By Brittany Anderson Honest conversations that start in your own community help facilitate necessary social change — which is what Kyle’s Dialogue for Peace and Progress series aims to do for the city and its residents.   The fifth edition of the Peace and Progress series was held at Kyle City Hall ...

By Megan Wehring  BUDA — Celebrating culture. That’s what the Buda Black History Month Celebration means this year.  Nonprofit Keeping Communities Connected (KCC) is partnering with the city of Buda, H-E-B and Target to bring the event to the Buda Amphitheater and City Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on...

By Megan Wehring After successfully coordinating a Black History Month program as a young teen, Vanessa Westbrook found her voice as a leader for marginalized communities — and she never looked back. Since then, Westbrook has prioritized countless community outreach ventures in Hays County above any...

By Sahar Chmais There is an instinctual phenomenon of “counting,” little known to those who are not Black. “You know what I mean when I say counting,” Ray Bryant, Buda’s first Black city council member, asked. “Every black person knows what that means and that’s what we do. When we walk into a room ...