Recognizing the Stranger Strategy Persists with Twelve Institutions
Spanish-speaking Catholic leaders from 12 parishes across the Austin Catholic Diocese participated in Central Texas Interfaith “Recognizing the Stranger” training today on a rainy Saturday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church.
The follow up session was conducted in partnership with the Austin Catholic Diocese and Catholic Charities.
Central Texas Interfaith Leaders Push for Restoration of ACE Funding and, with Texas IAF, Advance EDAP Legislation for Economically Distressed Areas
One month after 300 Texas IAF leaders descended on the Capitol to call for investments in human development, delegations have been visiting the Capitol daily to engage legislators around school finance, the ACE fund, payday lending and infrastructure support for economically distressed areas. In photos above are Central Texas Interfaith leaders from the Congregational Church of Austin, Wildflower Church (including Reverend Brian Ferguson), Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic, and Capital IDEA.
Legislative allies in the Rio Grande Valley and El Paso crafted a proposed constitutional amendment providing for the issuance of bonds by the Texas Water Development Board for projects in economically distressed areas. The proposal is almost to the finish line.
With ACE funding already in the draft budget, leaders are working to restore it to its original $10 Million. When economist Marc Elliot from Economic Mobility delivered a presentation on the effectiveness of the Project QUEST job training model at the Capitol, representatives from over a dozen legislative offices attended.
The QUEST model is hailed as the hitting on a "formula with a proven track record" and Texas IAF organizations across the state have applied it in across the state, including in Austin through Capital IDEA .
Texas ACE Fund Return on Investment, Texas IAF
Nine Year Gains: Project Quest's Continuing Impact, Economic Mobility
San Antonio Program Moves Low-Skilled into Middle Class, Houston Chronicle [pdf]
Central Texas Interfaith Calls for State Investments in ACE Fund & K-12 Education
Hundreds of Texas IAF leaders bused in to Austin from El Paso, the Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and West Texas, to join 100 Central Texas Interfaith leaders for a press conference calling on state legislators to increase spending on adult and K-12 education.
After a morning briefing on school finance, the Texas Innovative Career Education (ACE) program and other issues -- including healthcare, payday lending, and infrastructure in the colonias -- leaders were publicly recognized in the Gallery with a House resolution in support of the ACE program. Immediately afterward, they convened on the South Capitol steps for a press conference in which they were joined by five state legislators from Central Texas who pledged to continue working for investments in people, including Gina Hinojosa (HD-49), Vikki Goodwin (HD-47), John Bucy (HD 136), Erin Zweiner (HD-45) and James Talarico (HD-52).
In photo above, the Rev. Miles Brandon from St. Julian of Norwich Episcopal Church and Central Texas Interfaith energizes the crowd of Texas IAF leaders.
After the press conference, leaders broke out into smaller delegations to meet with legislators that represent their geographic regions, including in Austin, Western Travis, Williamson County, Comal and Hays.
Organizations Call On State Legislators to Support Adult Education, Univision 62 [Spanish video]
Piden a Legisladores Texanos Más Fondos Para Apoyar la Educación de Adultos, Univision 62
Valley Interfaith: State's Share of School Funding Has Dropped From 50% to Barely 36%, Rio Grande Guardian