Five months before the fall election, 150 Austin Interfaith leaders gathered at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church to launch a Get Out The Vote (GOTV) effort targeting 10,500 Central Texas voters. After approving the AI Agenda of Issues, leaders from congregations, schools, and non-profit organizations pledged, by institution, to sign up 10,500 voters and deliver them to the polls in the fall. Signups will take place both in congregations and institutions, and through blockwalks in surrounding neighborhoods.

Over the previous five months, Austin Interfaith leaders held over 250 small group "house meetings" with 2,500 participants to understand what issues communities are facing and to identify potential leaders from those conversations. What resulted is an agenda that includes workforce development and living wages, affordability and housing, community policing and safety, infrastructure and sustainability, healthcare, education, and immigration reform.

After hearing from immigrants about their reluctance to report crime, including domestic violence, for fear of being detained, Bastrop Interfaith leaders initiated a conversation with Bastrop County Sheriff Maurice Cook about community safety, including improved communications between the Sheriff’s Department and the community. Leaders will soon meet with Bastrop County’s Crime Prevention Deputy and Victims Services Coordinator in order to advance the conversation.

In previous house meetings, residents of Stony Point had identified trash in their neighborhood as an issue of concern. Leaders worked with Bastrop County Judge Pape, helping leverage a county-funded free clean up day last fall. It proved so popular that resident leaders negotiated a second clean up, held the first weekend of June. Over 40 people hauled pickup loads of trash to the dumpsters, some making several trips! Bastrop Interfaith leaders used the opportunity to talk to people while they waited in line, to better understand their concerns and to include them in upcoming house meetings.

More than 60 Austin Interfaith leaders from institutions across the City packed into Austin City Council Chambers for a hearing on CodeNEXT.  Leaders stood to support gripping testimony from speakers Florence Briceño from Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic and Rev. Michael Floyd from All Saints Episcopal who argued for strong neighborhoods and affordability, and against displacement. 

In photo, members of the audience raise their hands to demonstrate support.

[Photo Credit: Jay Janner, Austin American Statesman]

CodeNEXT Opponents, Supporters Gather at Austin City Hall, Spectrum News

Austinites Still at Odds Over CodeNEXT as Rewrite Reaches City Council, Austin American Statesman

Video Testimony by Florence Briceño, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic

Video Testimony by Rev. Michael Floyd, All Saints Episcopal