By Steve Walker
For 11 weeks I have been
writing about local and national Hispanic icons I have interviewed or known for
years. This week we take a turn to someone non-Hispanic who has literally been
around as an icon for 100 years. He is known as a community activist for
equality, international cooperation and alternative energy in San Antonio
In May Mr. Sinkin
celebrated his 100th birthday at the Skyline at the University of
the Incarnate Word with long time and short time friends. None could
legitimately say they knew him as a baby since none of those present were born
themselves. It is safe to say he was the oldest person in the room.
His son Lanny was by his
side the entire night as well wishers shook his hand, visited with him as he
told stories from back in the day. Since Lanny and I are the same age, I
commented to Lanny that Mr. Sinkin looked better than we did. Lanny smiled and
agreed.
Anyone who was somebody
attended the celebration as well as those of us who are still aspiring to be
somebody eventually. Former Mayors Henry Cisneros and Lila Cockrell along with
current Mayor Julian Castro were on hand to wish the birthday boy
congratulations as well as community leaders, business people, and admirers.
I personally became aware
of him in the mid nineties as a solar energy visionary, attending a number of
luncheons and other related events in the last ten years at the Pearl Stable.
He talked about solar energy long before anyone else even thought about
it.
As a Democratic Party precinct
chair for over 66 years, for the two-step primary voting process, he was
elected a precinct chair in 1942 and stepped down in 2008. He set a record for Bexar County
He is well known for
working to improve the community by opening up opportunities for people
systematically denied. Most people are unaware he co-founded Goodwill of San
Antonio in 1945 to help those with physical and mental challenges to find employment.
As Chair of the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) from 1949-53, he also
worked to increase minority participation in local government agencies. He
hired the first woman executive director of SAHA.
As a banker he controlled the Texas State Bank in the late 60s which
catered to minority representation and small business lending. One of his many
contributions included founding the Urban Coalition of San Antonio also in the
60s for low income white communities and communities of color to address economic
issues.
Mr. Sinkin is also known with his active involvement with HemisFair and the
1968 HemisFair exposition. As a college student in Ft.
Worth at the time I came down to visit
my mother and for the opening celebrating the 250th anniversary of
the founding of San Antonio
In all the time I have had the privilege to visit and converse with him
over the years, he has been articulate and gracious to a fault. I was
privileged to cover his 95th and 98th birthdays as well as his 100th.
Looking back at all the photos I have taken of him since I became a photo
blogger, I am amazed how he has not aged at all. It must be clean living. To
many more years, I salute you Mr. Bill Sinkin.
Anyway, as always, what I
write is “Just a Thought.”
Steve Walker is a Vietnam
Veteran and former Justice of the Peace and Journalist.
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