We were able to spend a few moments getting to know Ron Nirenberg, San Antonio’s Mayor. Our goal was to get to know more about our mayor and his thoughts on our Southside community. Here is what he shared with us…
Picture courtesy of Folklores Coffee House
Live From The Southside – “What do you think of all the growth in Southside San Antonio?”
Mayor Nirenberg– “The growth of the Southside is bringing new opportunities to an area that has long waited for this kind of development. It is very exciting.”
Live From The Southside – “It is. And we get to be all around it every day.”
Mayor Nirenberg– “It’s long awaited and much needed.”
Live From The Southside – “What is something you want the Southside community to know about you?”
Mayor Nirenberg– “That, as a member of the city council and now, as mayor, I’ve been focusing on the fair delivery of services, particularly in areas of town that have been long neglected, and so a sharp focus of our activity has been on ensuring Southside communities are getting the infrastructure that they’ve been waiting for, for more than a generation. And that it’s critically important to me to protect the values and heritage of our community, particularly as it relates to the Southside ecosystem and environment, as well as housing that’s been there for more than a generation. I would also like to add that me and my family have spent a tremendous amount of time in the Southside, at the Missions, at restaurants; Palo Alto and Texas A&M. It’s a place where I believe the future of San Antonio is unfolding.”
Live From The Southside – “That was actually one of our questions- how often do you spend time in the Southside? So, being that we’re on that, what are two of your favorite places to visit in the Southside?”
Mayor Nirenberg– “One is probably mass at Mission Concepcion and Mission San Jose as well. We go once every couple of months. Let me give you three. Events at Palo Alto College, particularly PACfest and Celebracion And I’d say, the Mission Drive-In.”
Live From The Southside – “Those are some good ones. Since you do spend time in the Southside, what is your favorite breakfast taco place in the Southside?”
Mayor Nirenberg– “Oh, gosh.”
Live From The Southside – “You got to pick one. Okay two, how about two?”
Mayor Nirenberg– “Wherever my wife drives us to. Truth be told, we usually don’t have a lot of breakfast tacos on the Southside because we’re not there that early.”
Live From The Southside – “Do you have a favorite restaurant you like to go to?”
Mayor Nirenberg– “I would say, probably Pollos Asados Los Nortenos.”
Live From The Southside – “Last question. What do you think sets apart the Southside from the other areas of the city?”
Mayor Nirenberg– “Every area in the city is unique in its own way, but I would say the Missions Heritage of San Antonio Southside and the ecosystem along the south banks of the river, are what truly make it special and those are the things I think we have to protect as the Southside grows. It’s also, as much as it is a look into the history of San Antonio, it is also a glimpse into its future. You can just be here on the Southside. It’s just electric what is about to happen. Whether it’s the educational institutions or it’s the growth of these new industries, like (Inaudible) at Brooks or its just an exciting new mix of urban development with older heritage, it’s an exciting time to be a part of the Southside of San Antonio.”
Picture courtesy of Mayor Ron Nirenberg Facebook Page
It was a pleasure to hear all the positive things Mayor Ron Nirenberg shared about the Southside. Here are some other interesting facts about our mayor:
What You Need to Know About Mayor Ron Nirenberg:
Early Years– Ron Nirenberg was born on April 11, 1977, in Boston, Massachusetts. He is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent on his father’s side and he is of mixed British, Filipino, Indian and Malaysian heritage on his mother’s side. He was raised in Austin, Texas, where he graduated from Anderson High School.
College Life– Nirenberg graduated from Trinity University (San Antonio, Texas) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and later graduated from the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) with a Master of Arts degree in Communications.
City Council– Nirenberg served on the San Antonio City Council, for District 8, for 2 terms, from 2013 to 2017.
Picture courtesy of Folklores Coffee House
2017 Mayoral Race– During the 1st round of voting, which took place on May 6, 2017, there were 14 candidates on the mayoral ballot. The top 2 candidates were Ivy Taylor, the incumbent mayor and Ron Nirenberg. During this round of voting, neither candidate received over the required 50% of the votes, so a runoff election was held on June 10, 2017. During this round, Nirenberg received 54.59% of the votes, defeating Taylor, who had 45.41% of the votes.
2019 Mayoral Race– During the 1st round of voting, which took place on May 4, 2019, there were 9 candidates on the mayoral ballot. The top 2 candidates were Ron Nirenberg, the incumbent mayor and City Councilman Greg Brockhouse. During this round of voting, neither candidate received over the required 50% of the votes, so a runoff election will be held on June 8, 2019. In this 1st round of voting, Nirenberg received 48.66% of the votes, while Brockhouse received 45.57% of the votes.
Family Life– Nirenberg currently lives in San Antonio with his wife, Erika Prosper Nirenberg, who is the Director of Customer Insights for H-E-B, along with their 10-year-old son, Jonah Nirenberg.
Accomplishments– Throughout the years, Ron Nirenberg has had numerous accomplishments in the areas of Ethics, Housing, Jobs/Economy, Public Safety and Traffic/Transportation. You can learn more about these accomplishments on his website.
Social Media– To learn more about Mayor Ron Nirenberg, check out his Facebook page, his Instagram page and his Twitter page.
