35

Hosted BySara Schleede

I-35 runs nearly 500 miles from Laredo to Gainesville, Texas. Driving along I-35 — through 18 counties and cities like Dallas, Austin and San Antonio — you get a good taste of what Texas is all about. “35” follows host Sara Schleede as she takes a road trip along Interstate 35 and documents the stories she encounters along the way, from oil busts and gentrification to cowboy culture and roadside attractions.

Austin

After the Federal Highway Act of 1956, interstate highways all over the country plowed through Black and Latinx communities and when I-35 was constructed in Austin, it cemented a racial divide between the west and east sides of the city. Now that Austin grows in population and popularity, it faces more pressure to redevelop neighborhoods in East Austin, and longtime Black and Latinx residents are being pushed out.

Lou’s Bodega
Lou’s Bodega opened in 2019 on the corner of Cesar Chavez Street and Chicon Street in Austin, Texas. Photo by Sara Schleede.
Audio director
About the Author
Sara Schleede is an audio director with The Drag and host of the '35' and 'Request Pending' podcasts.