On the evening of April 16, 1960, a young woman from McAllen, Texas named Irene Garza went to church for confession. She never returned home. A week later, her body was found floating in a canal. Decades would pass before the priest who murdered Irene was brought to justice in a historic case for the church and the Rio Grande Valley.

In Season five of "Darkness," host Talisa Treviño details the decades-long fight for justice for Irene. Hear from the investigators who tackled the case and Irene's loved ones, as well as survivors of abuse in the Catholic church.

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After a federal court ordered the immediate integration of Mansfield High School, white segregationists blocked the front of the high school, threatening anyone challenging them. Part two of this series, written by Khiry Duffey and hosted by Terrance Thomas, shares what happened that day in Mansfield and how it helped shape events that would happen in Little Rock, Arkansas, the following year. And Mansfield Historian Christopher Ohan delves into the lasting impression the story of 1950s Mansfield holds with city residents today.

In 1955, Mansfield ISD was still segregated, despite the Brown v. Board of Education ruling the year prior. It was a small town, heavily divided by race, just outside of Fort Worth, Texas. In the first part of a two-part series, Khiry Duffey shares the story of Clifford Davis and Floyd Moody, two people who were critical in the efforts to desegregate the school.

On January 1, 2024, Texas Senate Bill 17 went into effect. Its purpose was to remove Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs and initiatives at all Texas public institutions, resulting in the closure of UT Austin's Division of Campus and Community Engagement and other programs and departments accused of promoting DEI efforts. The bill's aim is to remove "special benefits" for students based on race, gender, and economic status. In this episode, we hear from UT students, former staff, and alumni about the effects of this bill and plans to challenge it.

Registering to vote can be tricky, especially because Texas is one of eleven states that doesn't have online voter registration. The deadline to register to vote in Texas is October 7, and the deadline to request an absentee ballot is October 25. In this episode, Sofia Vargas Karam walks through some of the difficulties of registering to vote in Texas.

Voting resources:

https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/21/texas-voter-guide-2024-election/

https://www.aclutx.org/en/know-your-rights/know-your-rights-voting-rights#s2

https://lwvaustin.org/Voter-Registration#gsc.tab=0 – 512-451-6710

https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote/

https://movetexas.org/

Read Sofia's essay about her voting experience: https://civicsutexas.org/first-time-voter/

In part two of this two-part series, Aislyn Gaddis looks at the larger context of the systems in place that allowed Fred Harris' death, and similar tragedies, to happen – from the state of the Harris County Jail to the laws in place that contribute to the jail's conditions.

Fred Harris, a 19-year-old with special needs, was murdered in the Harris County Jail in 2021. Fred's killer was sentenced to 50 years in prison, but Fred's mother is still demanding justice for her son. She claims the justice system failed him. In part one of this two-part series, Aislyn Gaddis shares the story of Fred Harris' life and death.

This summer has been historic as headlines filled with election updates dominate news feeds. But with updates flooding through, we wanted to slow down and talk about what one of the most recent events, specifically vice president Kamala Harris's entry into the election, means for Texas. Host Sara Kinney talks to two Texas journalists, Abigail Rosenthal of Chron and James Barragán of the Texas Tribune, about their recent articles covering the election and what this election could mean for Texas as November gets closer.

Resources: https://www.chron.com/culture/article/kamala-harris-megan-thee-stallion-19616331.php https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/25/kamala-harris-texas-voters-black-indian-asian/ https://www.votetexas.gov/ https://vote.gov/

Many Texans may not have heard of Mary Frances Tarlton "Sissy" Farenthold. She was a legendary environmentalist in the state. She also ran for governor – twice – and was even a nominee for U.S. vice president. This episode focuses on Farenthold's environmental work, with a focus on the creation of Mustang Island, an 18-mile stretch of beach that runs from Corpus Christi to Port Aransas. Athena Hawkins recounts the story of her impact within and beyond that stretch of beach.

Despite being a mostly conservative community, New Braunfels, Texas has become a safer space for LGBTQ+ people in recent years. In the final installment of Queer Texas, Heather Stewart shares the experiences of local LGBTQ+ high schoolers, discusses the city's political climate and outlines the creation of New Braunfels' pride events.