Taxi Para Todos: Cómo Roy Velásquez Luchó Por La Igualdad (a Taxi for Everyone) (Spanish Edition) - by Debbie Zapata (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

This compelling biography tells the story of Roy Velásquez and how he built a community fighting against segregation and discrimination in Austin, Texas, by starting a thriving taxi company for those not being served by the city's institutions.

Roy Velásquez was the son of Mexican immigrants, living in Austin, Texas, at the height of segregation. Roy knew the hardships faced by people of color because of the insurmountable policies put into place. What was anyone to do? Even just simple acts can go a long way. But Roy went further than that . . .

He borrowed five dollars from a friend, purchased a taxi permit and a tank of gas, and transported people of color wherever they needed to go since they weren't allowed in taxis, and the streetcar line ended before the segregated part of Austin.

Before long, one lone taxi became a fleet. Roy's Taxi Service was in business for roughly seventy-five years as Austin grew into a community, sharing music, food, and love. Roy's story is a reminder that inclusion is strength and that change can happen through small acts of community.

About the Author

Debbie Zapata works as a counselor in Austin, Texas, assisting families with children who have special needs. Her stories celebrate diversity and honor her Mexican culture. Debbie has been awarded the Austin SCBWI Scholarship for Diverse Worlds multiple times and was a finalist for the We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) Mentorship Contest. She is also the author of the picture books Up and Adam and Abuela's Letter. Find out more about Debbie at debbiezapata.com.

Laura Sandoval Herrera is a Mexican author-illustrator living in Brooklyn, New York. Her colorful palette and love of magic are inspired by her childhood spent in the small city of Querétaro, Mexico. She graduated with a BFA in product design from Parsons School of Design, and after working as a toy and book designer by day and drawing furiously around New York all of her free time, she decided to pursue her dream of becoming an illustrator of books herself. She loves sharing magical and heartfelt stories with culturally diverse characters and specially loves experimenting with texture and lots of color! When she is not drawing you can usually find her playing with her dog, Scribble, wandering around the city, or tinkering with a Risograph at a local print studio. See more of Laura's work at laurasanherr.com.