SAN ANTONIO — When Lathasea Wade moved first to San Antonio in 2005, she said it was an easy transition at first. 

Then came the obstacles. 

“A lot of the times I wanted to leave because unfortunately (there) is a lot of separation, a lot of judgment and a lot of criticism,” Wade said. “And unfortunately, there’s a lot of hurt behind that.” 

It doesn’t help that San Antonio is one of the most economically segregated cities in the nation. If you combine that with a couple of arrests, it's difficult to live life comfortably. 

“For some reason, I have a light in me that nothing’s going to put out. We are going to fight, and going to continue fighting,” Wade said. 

Wade’s received a helping hand in this fight from Black Voters Matter and Growing Real Alternatives Everywhere (G.R.A.E.) with a warrant clinic. Kimiya Factory, founder of Black Freedom Factory, was one of the many organizers who helped put this together on San Antonio’s East Side. 

“We partnered with the district attorney’s office as well as Precinct 4 and Bexar County public defenders to basically handle pro bono folks, Class C misdemeanors, traffic violations as well as any fees associated,” Factory said. 

Factory says helping to clear these warrants will tackle a deeper issue of voter turnout in marginalized communities. 

“If someone has a misdemeanor, or [if] someone has a warrant out, they likely cannot vote or they likely will not turnout to the polls in November because they are afraid of arrest and they are afraid of deportation,” Factory said. 

To create a sense of comfort for folks seeking help, law enforcement was not allowed on the property where the warrant clinic was taking place. Wade was a still a bit hesitant, but she followed through with it. 

“That anxiety we have, don’t let that be real. Don’t let it stop you, because if I had stopped, I wouldn’ve got my stuff cleared up,” Wade said. “I wouldn’t be able to be in the position I am now, to have an absolutely clear record.” 

This warrant clinic was the first of its kind in San Antonio and because of it, 55 people are working to clear their warrants. Organizers fully intend to spread warrant clinics to every municipal court over the next couple of years and they plan to start as early as this upcoming fall. 

Wade is looking forward to getting her license to make more positive strides. She understands the hesitancy, but she wants folks in her shoes to know that it’s possible. 

“It feels like freedom, it feels like I conquered something else, and I don’t have to look over my shoulder this time,” Wade said.

Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that the Black Freedom Factory "helped handle pro bono cases, class c misdemeanors, traffic violations as well as any fees associated." Instead, the San Antonio warrant clinic — not the Black Freedom Factory — handled these cases.