Susan Oliver Heard: Vote for Leticia, ‘It Makes a Difference to This One’

There is a story that has stuck with me since childhood. A bedtime fable told to me by my late father, Oliver S. Heard Jr.

There is a man who walks daily at dawn. As the golden sun spreads its rays across the vast ocean, he notices a familiar woman furiously scooping and tossing something into the ocean. Curiosity overcomes him and he builds up the nerve to negotiate the rocky terrain down to the shoreline. He approaches her as she gently maneuvers a starfish from its cubby of mud and seaweed. She tosses it deep into the sea foam dotted waters.

The man says to the woman, “Aren’t you tired? I have seen you do this for hours every morning of every day – you can’t possibly save them all, this beach is longer than the eye can see.”

She gently looks at him as she tosses another starfish into the abyss and says:

“It makes a difference to this one.”

I was born and raised in San Antonio, but I moved away for many years returning in 2012 and eventually opening my dream – an art gallery called Cinnabar in the Blue Star Arts Complex. In 2013 I joined the Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum committee for their annual local show, Red Dot. The task to help locate fresh young artists in San Antonio for the emerging section was delegated my direction and I began canvasing the city. One of my first trips was to Hausmann Millworks where owner Rex Hausmann walked me around the space and I was immediately taken by a drawing on the wall.  In that moment I saw a sparkle of the future of San Antonio. I saw Fernando Andrade.  I emailed a picture to the committee and they selected Fernando for the “emerging” section. I remembered the special culture of San Antonio and I saw that time had cultivated the wealth of artists here. In that special moment I knew I could make my dream of Cinnabar a reality.

Fernando has entertained much success since that time. In 2014 he was named by the Express-News as “one of the five artists to watch.” Shortly after that article was published his show “Tierra y libertad” opened in the middle gallery of Blue Star Contemporary and then in December he was awarded the Artist Foundation‘s grant for visual artist. He used it to create a body of work called “God Bless America“ that I am proud to say was part of a group show “Scene and Unseen” this past spring at Cinnabar. In my humble opinion, Fernando will be one of those artists that significantly extends our trajectory in the national and international art scene. His work has gotten the attention of collectors, museum curators, and enthusiasts near and far.

One day Fernando and I were sitting in my gallery chatting and I asked him to tell me about his introduction to art.

“At Jefferson high school I was told I had to take Art 1 or Band. I didn’t want to take band, so I took art,” he said. A teacher recognized his talent and the rest is history. My mind immediately cast back to that starfish story as I asked him, “Can I tell you a story?”

That is when I began to tell him about when state Sen. Leticia Van De Putte was on the Committee on Education when the curriculum for high school was being set. Other committee members removed the requirement for fine arts. She couldn’t get the votes in committee, so she led the charge in the Senate to get the support to have it put back in the curriculum. She hustled every vote because she knew it was vital to the fabric of our community.

Fernando’s eyes widened as he looked at me and said one word: “Wow.”

That is when I thought, here it is – the starfish – tangible evidence that Leticia Van De Putte had made a difference to this one. Her incessant efforts to get the votes for fine art to be put back in the curriculum directly and indirectly translated to Fernando Andrade being an artist and Cinnabar being born. How many other artists has she rescued without even knowing the direct and specific significance she has made in the arts ecosystem?

I have been told I have two things: a great eye and a big mouth.

I am sharing this story today with you because I go into every grocery store, dentist office, auto body shop, hardware store, post office, gas station, art function, baptism, baby shower, anywhere and everywhere and implore people to vote for Van de Putte. I outright berate them. They can ask me what time it is and I answer with “time to vote, need a ride?”

I have called every friend, texted everyone in my phone and my Facebook Rolodex – I have put it all on the table for this leader. I have driven in circles with hundreds of strangers to the polls.

My close friends, I’m not going to lie, may think I have finally lost it. I am sure I have had numerous people un-friend me on Facebook. I respond to every post, comment, column, question, and picture and you want to know why? Because that day in the Senate, like so many other days in her almost 25 years, she was relentless in her fight to sustain and build our cultural infrastructure.  She puts 100% into everything and is the absolute essence of a leader. She brings people together. She passionately cares about the arts, education, and children, not for political gain, but because sometimes you have one chance to do what you should and sometimes you need to leverage everything you can to achieve that goal.

I hosted a pop up show at Cinnabar over Memorial Day for Pre-K 4 SA kids. We hung 125 works by four-year-olds in five hours. These teachers worked tirelessly to come up with fascinating projects the kids could collaborate on and present.

When we worked on fine-tuning the concept I suggested we sell the top four works ahead of time (one from each center) and donate them back to the center as a trophy for their walls.  I was so excited because the funding fell into place in a matter of hours. The three calls I had time to make between 3-4 p.m. all said yes.

That evening I ran into Leticia and when I saw her I poured out my excitement for the show.  She looked at me and said, “Wait, is there one left? Can I buy one still?”

I was a deer in headlights.

“Uh, yeah, actually there is one left,” I said. This personal involvement came as no surprise to me from Van De Putte.

On Friday scores of four year olds and their parents were welcomed with ribbons and stickers that said “featured artist.” The pride from each of them was as bright as the pictures on the wall. One kid named Jonathan looked at me and said, “I made that and I’m in the best gallery in San Antonio!”

That’s when I felt it. I made a difference to this one.

I bought works by the kids to give to senators, representatives, City Council members, congressmen (like Congressman Lloyd Doggett) who have fought tooth and nail for the arts – an industry that generated $5.1 billion in Texas last year.

So artists, enthusiasts, collectors, curators, directors, teachers, students, people that love the cultural fiber of this city I have a direct challenge for you:

Let’s make our voter block be heard. The opposition is laughing at us artists, saying we have no voter block, do we have the gumption to prove them wrong?

Knock on your neighbors’ doors- especially if you don’t know them. Take them to the polls if they need a ride or call me and I will take them personally.

Post 10 names (first name is fine) of people you took or called to go to the polls for Leticia Van De Putte on my Facebook page every day. Then get them to post 10 names every day. This vote is going to come down to 100 votes and each one counts for close to 25 people in this city and we have less than four days left of early voting – which closes on Tuesday, June 9. Election Day is June 13.

I am searching every inch of this city and I challenge you to do the same. I will not stop until Leticia Van De Putte is elected the first Latina mayor on June 13. Do you know why?

Because she has made a difference to this one.

San Antonio needs her to do that every day in every way.

*Featured/top image: Mayoral candidate Leticia Van de Putte and Susan Oliver Heard enjoy the Kings Party during NIOSA 2015. Courtesy photo.

Related Stories:

Tommy Adkisson: The Case for Mayor Ivy Taylor

#SAvotes…Sorta. What It Means to Have Low Voter Turnout 

Tensions High Between Taylor and Van de Putte at TPR Debate

Mayoral Candidates Talk Future of SA Water, Transportation

Taylor and Van de Putte Tangle at UTSA Forum