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School closures would impact an already vulnerable black population in Austin
School closures are often justified with a string of hyphenated descriptors — like “under-utilized” or “under-enrolled” — each of which speaks to an immediate need for administrative action. But no descriptor can quell the frustration of those expected to bear the brunt of a closed school, especially when it is inextricably tied to a legacy of racism.
Some progress on women’s justice in Texas — but more must be done
When we fail to provide incarcerated women with the health- and family-centered support they need, we compromise their ability to successfully shake the stigma of incarceration, hindering positive reentry into society and jeopardizing long-term community wellness.
Texas benefits from investing in safe pipelines
Texas has always led the nation in oil and gas innovation. We must use all the sensible tools within reach to maximize our abilities to safely and efficiently move our energy resources to consumer markets in the U.S. and to our allies around the globe.
I had a teacher who looked like me
It is imperative that my students feel like they matter, and that they are accurately represented in their classrooms. I want them to see someone who looks like them, shares similar experiences and provides authentic anecdotes to overcome the challenges they experience.
For World Mental Health Day, take 40 seconds
Forty seconds is enough time to make a difference that could save a life. It can also be the pivot point for a new national consensus that makes our communities happier, healthier, and more equal.
Solitary confinement is terrible, but so is regular prison
We should condemn all cages, not just those that we have been told are necessary because certain individuals are beyond redemption — monsters who must be kept out of sight, without access to the basic human needs of touch and conversation and some type of human contact. Solitary doesn't create monsters; society does. Solitary just hides our worst mistakes.
Expanded broadband access lifts limits on human potential
With expanded broadband access you reap what you sow – a smarter, healthier, more prosperous Texas.
It’s not just Austin. The state of Texas has a homelessness problem.
What do Austin, Dallas, Frisco, Houston, McKinney and Odessa all have in common? They are all dealing with homeless Texans. And while Austin is getting a lot of attention on this issue now, the truth is that many cities around Texas are struggling and have received little in the way of state and federal assistance.
A conversation began at TribFest. Let’s keep it going.
A number of folks approached us during the recent Texas Tribune Festival and asked, “What is Texas 2036 all about?”
It’s exactly the question we were hoping to hear. We explained that Texas 2036 is a nonprofit organization building statewide support for sustained, data-driven planning efforts. We are focused on the challenges and opportunities our state faces as it prepares for its bicentennial in 17 years — and the 10 million more people who will call Texas home by then.
Texas could suffer if the U.S. keeps out refugees like me
It’s hard to imagine where I’d be if the U.S. hadn’t welcomed me, or if I’d even be alive. And yet today, our country is welcoming fewer refugees than ever. Nationally, we’ve reached the lowest level in nearly forty years, and Texas saw a 79% decrease in refugee resettlement between 2017 and 2018.
An impeachment, a House scandal and the 2020 elections could bedevil Texas GOP
Amidst the historic national implications of the now all-but-certain impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump, a renewed focus on questions of corruption and abuse of power in the White House threatens Republican Texas incumbents’ near-monoply of the state’s political system.