Two Texas Teas

This week Lawson and Don sit down with a friend of six-plus years — Rocío Guenther — a journalist, public servant, and consultant whose career has bridged Guadalajara, San Antonio, Spain, and Germany.

Originally from Guadalajara, Rocío started as a bilingual reporter at the San Antonio Report covering U.S.–Mexico relations and immigration. She later joined the City of San Antonio's Global Engagement Office (coordinating the King and Queen of Spain's Tricentennial visit), served as Director of Community Engagement and Constituent Services for Mayor Ron Nirenberg — including a stretch working remotely from Spain — and spent 2023–2024 as a German Chancellor Fellow in Darmstadt studying migration policy. Most recently she was a campaign aide to Beto Altamirano in the 2025 San Antonio mayoral race, and today she runs her firm Guerita Consulting.

This one is longer-form and substantive. We get into what community engagement actually looks like on the ground, what the Mayor's office taught her about funding and consensus, her view of the Altamirano campaign, San Antonio's Sister Cities, why global engagement matters for a mid-size American city, and what it's like to build a career across two countries, two languages, and two cultures.

If you care about how local government works — or what it looks like to build a career that doesn't fit one lane — this is your episode. ☕

🌐 gueritaconsulting.com 📸 Instagram: @chioguenther

00:35 — Rocío Guenther: A Journey of Identity

04:56 — San Antonio: A Community of Warmth

06:38 — Navigating Local Politics

12:14 — Transplants in San Antonio's Growth

15:15 — Political Identity and Community Engagement

17:10 — COVID and Community Engagement

19:13 — Career Transitions

21:29 — Political Landscapes and Aspirations

22:43 — Spanish Citizenship and Migration Studies

24:25 — Balancing New Roles and Future Goals

25:11 — Local Governance: Mayor and Council

37:09 — Competency in Governance

39:35 — Local Leadership Dynamics

41:58 — Cultural Perceptions of San Antonio

48:07 — International Connections and Sister Cities

53:08 — The Importance of Global Engagement

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Real talk. Texas brewed. ☕

This week's a special one. Don and Lawson are joined by the youngest and most heavily bribed guest in Two Texas Teas history: Lawson's son, Luke Picasso.

After "many contract negotiations," Luke takes the mic to walk us through his Select baseball season — the sprained elbow that has him on the IL, his Atlanta Braves loyalty, and his very strong feelings about Bryce Harper. We get into the wild economics of youth baseball, why the Picassos bowed out of Little League ("too political"), Mario Kart wars that fracture dinner conversations, the Universal Super Mario World fever dream, and the family's mission to visit every MLB stadium before Luke turns 18.

Lawson closes with a Mother's Day message for every kind of mom — the new moms, the moms moving through grief, and the moms who just want a quiet day where nobody asks where anything is.

Happy Mother's Day from us to you.

— Luke's season, his sprained elbow, and getting the official stats on the record
— Why Select baseball is basically Space Jam with $500 bats
— The Sandlot tournament that ended with police on the scene
— Atlanta Braves vs. Yankees: a house divided
— Mario Kart fights, COVID switches, and the great Yoshi takeover
— Universal Studios' Super Mario World (10 trillion out of 10)
— The MLB stadium tour goal and why San Antonio absolutely deserves a team

00:00 — Celebrating Mother's Day with Special Guests
02:13 — Summary
02:48 — Luke's Baseball Journey: Stats and Injuries
05:58 — The Competitive Nature of Youth Baseball
09:53 — The Impact of Branding in Baseball
13:39 — Navigating Youth Sports Politics
16:02 — Visit twotexasteas.com
16:43 — The Role of Parents in Youth Sports
22:09 — Future Aspirations in Baseball and Education
26:41 — The Competitive Nature of Youth Sports
29:14 — Baseball Knowledge and Passion
32:01 — YouTube Influences and Family Activities
34:19 — Video Game Fandom and Family Dynamics
38:58 — The Love for Baseball and Family Traditions
41:32 — Universal Studios Experience and Super Mario World
45:04 — Advertise With Us
45:44 — Dreams of MLB Stadium Visits
50:55 — Reflections on Motherhood and Family Values

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Real talk. Texas brewed. ☕

Don and Lawson are back, and this week they're trying something new. Introducing the show's new segment structure: Hot Tea (the spicy stuff), Sweet Tea (the feel-good wins), and Brewed Tea (what's coming down the pipeline). One brand, three flavors, all Texas.

They open with the Klay Thompson and Megan Thee Stallion fumble, then dive into San Antonio City Hall — Chief of Staff Denise Carroll out, longtime Deputy Chief Pat Wallace out, and what those exits actually say about the mayor's office. From there: a board race for Alamo Colleges District 9 that got nasty and backfired, why Lawson is reporting from Corpus Christi.

On the Sweet Tea side, Kacey Musgraves opening her Gruene Hall run with the Mariachi kids from the Dilley detention facility.

Then Brewed Tea: the May runoffs, the Tony Gonzalez seat, gerrymandering going legal, internal mean-girling inside both parties, and why the age range on the ballot keeps creeping older while the country keeps getting older with it.

Real talk. Texas brewed. ☕🤠

— Why Klay and Meg didn't work and the internet's worst takes
— Denise Carroll resigns. Pat Wallace resigns. What the LinkedIn posts actually said
— What it's really like being a Chief of Staff (2 a.m. pothole calls included)
— The Alamo Colleges District 9 race that backfired on the opponents
— Lawson's love letter to Corpus, the Valley, Del Rio, and Eagle Pass
— Kacey Musgraves, Gruene Hall, the Mariachi kids, and the bot ticket scandal
— Gerrymandering, runoffs, and the November setup in Texas
— Why Texas weather is in its perimenopausal era

00:00 — Megan Thee Stallion and Relationship Dynamics
00:27 — Intro
01:17 — New Segments: Hot Tea, Sweet Tea and Brewed Tea
02:46 — Klay Thompson
07:46 — Ad Break
08:27 — Hot Tea: Political Landscape in San Antonio
14:00 — Staff Turnover and Leadership Challenges
19:07 — The Role of Chief of Staff
22:11 — Alamo Colleges Board
24:54 — Sweet Tea: Corpus Christi and the RGV
31:13 — Kacey Musgraves and the Mariachi Band
37:15 — Brewed Tea: Upcoming Elections and Gerrymandering
40:24 — Congress and the President of the United States
45:26 — Climate Change: Weather Patterns and Local Impact
46:56 — Outro

You don't have to be famous. If you have an opinion, come talk to us.
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Real talk. Texas brewed. ☕

Don and Lawson are back together and they brought the full San Antonio energy with them. Recorded mid-Fiesta, this one is exactly what you would expect from two people obsessed with this city.

They go full send into Fiesta — medals, cascarones, Market Square's new $5 cover, Fiesta Sucia, the Spurs Guy as a Fiesta saint, Fiesta Flambeau, and the very real possibility that Two Texas Teas drops its own Fiesta medal next April. From there: the Spurs playoff run, why the city goes honking when they win, and why LeBron James is still not forgiven for the AC game. Don tells his Eagle Pass wedding story (95 degrees, no AC, full suit), Lawson defends keeping her thermostat at 72 year-round and points the finger at data centers, and they close on Tony Gonzalez stepping down, the Eric Swalwell allegations, accountability across both parties, and why we still owe Monica Lewinsky an apology.

Warm, funny, and very San Antonio. ☕🤠

— Market Square's $5 cover and what it means for Fiesta culture
— Fiesta medals as the Pokemon Go of San Antonio
— Lawson's history designing medals (Mandalorian, picture-frame, corporate misfire)
— The Two Texas Teas Fiesta medal announcement
— Spurs playoff run, going honking, and the LeBron AC game
— Don's Eagle Pass wedding and surviving 95 degrees in a suit
— Lawson at 72 degrees year-round, no apologies
— Tony Gonzalez, Eric Swalwell, and believing survivors

00:00 — Introduction and Energy Drinks
02:34 — Email [email protected] to Be a Sponsor
03:15 — Fiesta in San Antonio
17:37 — Fiesta Medals!
28:14 — LeBron versus the Spurs
31:54 — Visit twotexasteas.com
32:34 — Freezing Weather in a Texas Spring
38:19 — Don's Mexican Wedding in Eagle Pass
42:15 — Congressman Woes in Texas
52:52 — Follow Us on Social Media @twotexasteas
53:29 — Ending

You don't have to be famous. If you have an opinion, come talk to us.
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Real talk. Texas brewed. ☕

Episode 7: No Tumbleweeds: Two Outsiders on What Texas Really Is ft. Jordan Webb

⚠️ A Note Before You Press Play Lawson is taking an unplanned week off due to some technical difficulties on our recording app. We will have her back next episode. Bear with us on the audio and video quality as this interview was recorded a few months back. We are fixing it as we go. ☕

About This Episode

Don flies solo this week and brings in a very familiar face. Jordan Webb, IT consultant and Don's college friend of over a decade, joins for a candid conversation about what Texas looks like through the eyes of people who were not born and raised here.

From Jordan's first work trip to Austin to Don's wide eyed arrival in San Antonio expecting tumbleweeds and cowboys, this episode is a love letter to the state that keeps pulling people in from everywhere else. They talk culture, city vibes, Texas exceptionalism, and the big question nobody wants to answer out loud: is Texas still Texas when everybody from California and New York keeps moving in?

No Lawson this week. But plenty of tea. ☕🤠

About Jordan Webb Jordan Webb is an IT consultant, avid traveler, and Don's friend of over a decade. A proud non-Texan with a deep appreciation for the Lone Star State, Jordan brings a sharp outside perspective on what makes Texas culture so magnetic.

📱 Follow Jordan: @spiderwebb_24

Chapters

00:00 Don Opens the Episode Solo

06:43 Introducing Jordan Webb

07:16 Jordan's First Trip to Austin

09:07 Expectations vs Reality: The Real Texas

10:05 How Every Texas City Has Its Own Vibe

22:27 Texas Exceptionalism: Real or Propaganda?

24:04 The Transient City: Where Did All the Austinites Go? 24:46 What Texas Gives to the Rest of the Country

26:37 Closing Thoughts

Want to Be on the Show? You do not have to be famous. If you have an opinion, come talk to us. Reach out at [email protected] or visit www.twotexasteas.com.

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Real talk. Texas brewed. ☕

Episode 6: TSA & Texas Infrastructure ft. Ariel Slick

Don and Lawson kick things off with a conversation about the TSA funding disputes rattling travelers across the nation, then welcome Fort Worth author and journalist Ariel Slick for a deep dive into Texas infrastructure, historical floods, and the water crisis quietly building across the Lone Star State.

From the devastating floods of Fort Worth and San Antonio to the funding gaps leaving Central Texas communities at risk, this episode connects the dots between history and what is happening right now. Ariel breaks down the 2025 Texas Infrastructure Report Card and shares a sobering stat: if Texas does nothing, by 2070 nearly 550,000 Texans could have less than 10 percent of the water they need. The time to contact your state representative is today.

⚠️ A Note on Audio Quality We hear you and we are sorry! This episode has some echo issues we are actively working to fix. Better sound is coming.

Thank you for your patience and for riding with us. ☕

Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Texas Infrastructure 06:26 Funding and Accountability for Infrastructure Issues 11:37 Awareness of Flood Risk and Infrastructure Funding 17:06 Texas as a Red State and Funding 22:12 Impact of Population Growth on Water Systems 28:00 Texas Infrastructure Rating and Book Release

Key Takeaways Historical floods in Texas have shaped infrastructure and communities in ways still felt today. Funding gaps and lack of public awareness remain the biggest barriers to meaningful change. Population growth across Texas is outpacing the infrastructure built to support it. And if no action is taken, millions of Texans face serious water shortages by 2070.

Resources from Ariel 🔗 Texas Water Development Board State Flood Plan 🔗 2025 Texas Infrastructure Report Card 🌐 arielslickwrites.com

📸 Instagram: @arielslickwrites

🐦 X/Twitter: @arielslickwrites

About Ariel Slick Ariel Slick is a novelist and journalist from Fort Worth, Texas. Her novels include The Devil Take the Blues, The Royals of Sea and Song, and The Good Harbor Witches mystery series co-written with USA Today Bestselling author Jeri White. Her articles have appeared in Texas Highways, The Texas Observer, Texas Co-op Power, Deep South Magazine, and many others.

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Real talk. Texas brewed. ☕

This episode discusses harassment and women's issues. If you need support:

RAINN - Call: 1-800-656-4673 (24/7) | Chat: online.rainn.org

Lawson and Don start with hilarious SXSW stories—from out-of-towners accidentally flying into Dallas to Don's free tequila adventure at an Austin bar. Lawson reveals how MTV's Real World Austin introduced her to the festival in the early 2000s and shares her experience speaking at SXSW 2023. They discuss how the event evolved from scrappy indie music roots to a tech and civic engagement powerhouse.

The conversation shifts to an important question: Why does Dolores Huerta always get second billing to Cesar Chavez when she was equally instrumental in the farmworkers' movement? This sparks discussion about women's contributions being systematically undervalued throughout history and why believing women shouldn't be controversial.

They wrap with movie recommendations—Project Hail Mary, Spider-Man, and why Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes are relationship goals—before previewing upcoming TSA drama and primary runoff coverage.

• SXSW evolved from indie music festival to tech/civic engagement mega-event
• Dolores Huerta deserves equal (or greater) recognition as Cesar Chavez
• Women's historical contributions are systematically minimized across all movements
• Believing women's experiences should be the default, not radical
• Austin's growth has changed SXSW's accessibility and culture
• Free tequila at unofficial SXSW events: amazing and dangerous

00:00 Introduction: Wrong Texas City Problems
02:00 SXSW Stories & How It's Changed
06:00 Don's Free Tequila Adventure
08:30 Lawson's 2023 SXSW Speaking Gig
16:00 THE Dolores Huerta: Why She Deserves Top Billing
22:00 Austin Street Naming Debate
26:00 Believing Women Across History
32:00 Women's Agency & Historical Erasure
38:00 The Sip Senate: Movie Talk
40:00 Project Hail Mary & Ryan Gosling Appreciation
43:00 Next Episode Preview: TSA Drama & Runoffs

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Dolores Huerta Foundation: doloreshuerta.org
Documentary: "Dolores" (2017) by Peter Bratt

New episodes every other Sunday. Real talk, Texas brewed. ☕

This episode discusses suicide and political allegations. If you need help:

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - Call/Text: 988 (24/7) | Chat: 988lifeline.org Crisis Text Line - Text HOME to 741741

Recorded a few days after Texas's primary elections, Lawson calls in from a San Diego beach. The hosts tackle one of the most difficult stories in Texas politics: Congressman Tony Gonzalez (TX-23) stepping down amid scandal and tragedy. With sensitivity and appropriate warnings, they discuss the intersection of personal tragedy, political pressure, and where campaigns cross ethical lines.

They then analyze primary results including Ron Nirenberg's Bexar County Judge victory, the tight DA race between Jane Davis and Luz Elena Chapa, and James Talarico's upset win over Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic Senate primary. Plus: Dallas polling chaos, Ken Paxton's quid pro quo response to Trump, and a South by Southwest preview.

• Mental health resources available 24/7 through 988
• Ron Nirenberg won Democratic primary for Bexar County Judge
• James Talarico narrowly defeated Jasmine Crockett for Senate nomination
• Ken Paxton conditioned dropping out of Senate race on passing the SAVE Act
• Dallas polling locations required emergency extensions due to chaos
• Project Marvel controversy hurt Grant Moody's re-election bid
• DA race headed to runoff: Davis vs. Chapa

00:00 Introduction from the Beach
04:00 ⚠️ Trigger Warning
04:30 Tony Gonzalez Resignation & Ethics Discussion
13:00 Bexar County Judge: Nirenberg's Victory
19:00 District Attorney Race Analysis
24:00 Statewide Results: Talarico Upsets Crockett
26:00 Paxton's Quid Pro Quo
27:00 Dallas Polling Disaster
29:00 Looking Ahead: SXSW & November

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You are not alone. Help is available.

New episodes every other Sunday. Real talk, Texas brewed. ☕

Hosts: Lawson & Don

In this episode of Two Texas Teas, hosts Lawson and Don explore the intersection of technology, politics, and personal responsibility in the Lone Star State.

What We're Discussing:

🤖 AI in Texas: From creative processes to business applications, we break down how Texans are using artificial intelligence in their daily lives—both professionally and personally. Learn about TRAIGA (Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act) and why Texas is positioning itself as a national leader in responsible AI regulation.

🗳️ Primary Elections: With early voting underway, we dive deep into the explosive Texas Senate primaries on both sides of the aisle. The Republican race features incumbent John Cornyn battling Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt in what's become a civil war over the soul of the GOP. On the Democratic side, Rep. Jasmine Crockett and State Rep. James Talarico are competing for their party's best shot to flip Texas in 30 years.

⛷️ Winter Olympics Check-In: We celebrate San Antonio native Boone Niederhofer competing for Team USA in four-man bobsled and discuss our favorite Winter Olympic moments and sports.

🎨 The Creative Process: Lawson and Don explore artistic methods, material selection, and how AI is changing creative workflows, from artwork evaluation to content generation.

Key Takeaways:

• Texas is only the second state to pass comprehensive AI legislation
• The Austin-San Antonio corridor raised $3.8 billion in tech funding in 2024
• Nearly 19 million Texans are registered to vote, but primaries are decided by a tiny fraction
• Understanding AI legislation matters for businesses and consumers
• Your vote in the primary matters—especially in potential runoffs
• Political scandals continue to shape races at every level
  

Why This Episode Matters: Whether you're a tech entrepreneur navigating new AI regulations, a voter trying to understand the primary landscape, or just someone curious about how AI impacts daily life, this episode offers real talk about the issues shaping Central Texas and beyond.

Early voting runs through February 27, with Primary Election Day on March 3. Find your polling location and make your voice heard.

Chapters

02:15 Winter Olympic Pride: San Antonio's Boone Niederhofer

07:00 How We're Using AI: Personal Stories

12:00 Texas Primary Drama: The Republican Civil War

20:00 Democrats' Historic Senate Opportunity

28:00 Runoff Reality & Voter Turnout Crisis

30:00 TRAIGA Explained: Texas Takes on AI Regulation

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New episodes every other Sunday.

In this episode of Two Texas Teas, hosts Lawson and Don dive into a wide-ranging conversation that spans from San Antonio's iconic rodeo season to the complexities of the Star Wars universe. They discuss recent life changes, ICE, and the role of government responsibility in times of crisis. The hosts also share their Super Bowl predictions and explore unexpected political parallels in the galaxy far, far away.

Note: Every episode will get better as we refine our process—please forgive the audio echo from Don's mic as we work out the technical kinks!

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Takeaways

• Government's role in the lives of its citizens
• Rodeo season and cowboy breakfast hold nostalgic significance for the hosts. Year-round rodeo events are changing the landscape of traditional rodeo programming.
• The emotional journey of Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars resonates with personal experiences and societal issues.

Chapters

• 00:00 Life Changes and Social Justice
• 05:06 Local Support and Political Pressure
• 13:00 Country Music and Cowboy Breakfast Experience
• 19:32 Rodeo Festivities and Childhood Memories
• 25:05 Year-Round Rodeo Events
• 30:12 Anakin Skywalker's Emotional Journey
• 36:10 Valentine's Day Inside Joke
• 46:27 Closing Remarks and Support