Anel Flores’ newest exhibit, “I Am Home," is on display at the Mexican Cultural Institute at Hemisfair Park.

San Antonio-based renowned artist Anel Flores is opening a new retrospective exhibition featuring her work and that of eight other artists from San Antonio’s queer community at the Mexican Cultural Institute San Antonio.

A San Antonio author and former teacher, said concerns over whether students should read certain books in school libraries are in response to writers like herself.

SAN ANTONIO – A change in policies has led to criticism of the Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners after it announced Monday that social workers will now be able to turn away LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities. According to the state’s current law, a social worker can face disciplinary action if they refuse services to clients based on religion, race or age. While these changes reflect the agency’s duty to duly enacted statutes, the Board and Council recognize the importance of legal protection from discrimination. Brown also serves as a licensed social worker. Brown said she believes social work is about adapting to others' needs, and refusing to help is detrimental.

SAN ANTONIO – Members of San Antonio’s LGBTQ community said they want to have a say in future city policies that will help protect them. She said San Antonio has made great strides in becoming more welcoming of the LGBTQ community, but more needs to be done to protect victims of crimes. According to the FBI, in 2016, there were 10 hate crimes reported by participating Bexar County law enforcement agencies. In 2017, there were six hate crimes reported, but none were connected to sexual orientation or gender identity. The board will continue to meet with the mayor, but it wants the board to become permanent so that the LGBTQ community can have a place at the table when policies are formed in the future under new leadership.

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio is the latest stop for a traveling art exhibit that highlights LGBTQ artists from Texas. Arttitude has had five shows in McAllen, Dallas, Austin and now San Antonio. “The papel picado (decorative tissue paper) is very much San Antonio. I think that there is currently an absence of women artists, and if there’s an absence of women artists, then there’s an absence of queer artists. There’s an absence of gender nonconforming artists … an absence of trans artists.”The exhibit was made possible by partnerships with San Antonio organizations, including Galeria E.V.A., The Pride Center San Antonio, Kind Clinic and LULAC: Act Against AIDS.