Press

South Cluster Leaders Block Liquor Sales by Travis High School

Posted by · August 10, 2012 3:00 AM

When leaders from Austin Interfaith’s Southside Cluster Wildflower Church, Kurt Cadena-Mitchell and Edie Clark, learned that Speedy Stop had applied for a variance to sell alcohol at the Exxon Station directly across the street from Travis High School, and next door to Wildflower, they quickly began organizing to oppose the variance, forming a coalition that included Wildflower Church, Travis Heights Elementary, Faith Presbyterian Church, Faith Child Development Center, South River City Citizens, and Texans Standing Tall.

The coalition developed a strategy to block sales that included research, meetings with decisionmakers and preparing to testify at Council. In meetings with Council members and an AISD Trustee, they were able to provide them with accurate information about the issue. In the end, the attorney for Speedy Stop withdrew the application for the alcohol variance, citing community opposition. Leaders heard from Council members that unless there is organized opposition, these types of variances are often approved. Southside leaders shared their winning strategy with a Northeast coalition of neighborhood associations organized by Austin Interfaith leader Oralia Garza to aid them in successfully defeating a similar alcohol variance across from Reagan High School.

Austin Interfaith Increases Voter Turnout in Traditionally Low Voting Precincts by 85% and 131%: East Austin & Dove Springs

Posted by · May 12, 2012 4:42 PM

As of Saturday evening, Austin Interfaith increased early voter turnout by 65%, and final voter turnout by 85%, in the same precinct in which it hosted the largest event of the election season as well as substantial GOTV efforts by several Austin Interfaith congregations

On April 29th, Austin Interfaith held the largest assembly in the city with 500+ organization members at Mount Olive Baptist Church; the church is located in Precinct 124 in East Austin. Early voter turnout increased by 65% compared to 2011 council election turnout and by 9:30pm Saturday night had recorded an 85% increase over final election day turnout from 2011. These increases in raw numbers of voters were the result of coordinated efforts by Austin Interfaith member congregations in East Austin. Efforts included pulpit announcements to vote in several eastside congregations, GOTV walks held by 24 leaders over two weekends and phone banking involving a team of 9 additional leaders from downtown congregations

Austin Interfaith leaders increased voter turnout in Dove Springs' precinct 450 by 131% compared to 2011 council election turnout. This southeast Austin precinct is known as a low voter turnout neighborhood, but over 100 Austin Interfaith leaders participated in several neighborhood Get Out the Vote walks in 2012, including two during early voting season. On Saturday, May 5th over 25 leaders of Austin Interfaith walked door-to-door in Dove Springs and got signatures from 127 voters who supported the Austin Interfaith agenda, and committed to vote. In addition to door-to-door walks, leaders called over 2,000 voters in south Austin. Leaders continued to block-walk on election day, as well as phone bank and drive voters to the polls.

The voter turnout in these precincts are in addition to the citywide Get Out the Vote Campaign focused on our neighborhoods and institutions. Austin Interfaith is a non-partisan organization of member congregations, schools, workers' associations and non-profits building power through the organization of a voting constituency in support of an array of issues around the interests of families and individuals in Austin.

Video Here

Austin Interfaith Leverages Commitments on Incentive Deals & Electricity

Posted by · April 30, 2012 1:47 AM

At an assembly with 504 Austin Interfaith delegates, candidates for City Council and Mayor committed to raising electricity rates no higher than 20% for congregations and to broaden assistance to people with limited incomes.

Candidates were also challenged about publicly funded incentives, as Austin has been the center of high-profile incentive deals in recent years. Austin Interfaith got all candidates to commit to setting a wage standard for permanent (and construction) workers ranging between $11-20 per hour. Candidates also agreed to a community study and dialogue with Austin Interfaith to determine what constitutes a living wage in Austin.

Candidates for Sheriff and US Congress also committed to working with the organization.

Early Voting Begins in Municipal Races, KXAN