Thanks for joining the Texas UMW Legislative Event and Texas Impact for our first-ever virtual conference! This was the 34th annual Texas UMW Legislative Event…and the first step in a new, bold chapter in our partnership!
Explore this page for links, downloads, and graphic to help you tell the story of Faith, Hope, and Love in Action in Texas. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Email engagement@texasimpact.org
DOWNLOADS
slide decks, handouts, graphics
CONTACT INFORMATION
VIDEOS
Downloadable graphics to share and use in presentations
Make plans to join us for the 35th Annual Texas United Methodist Women’s Legislative Event January 22-25, 2022!
Schedule at-a-Glance
Click the highlighted session name to find the Zoom link for that session
| Saturday, January 23 | Sunday, January 24 | Monday, January 25 | Tuesday, January 26 | |
| 9:00 AM | Coffee Hour | Legislative Engagement Groups | Coffee Hour | |
| 10:00 AM | Creative Advocacy | 2022 Starts Now | Legislative Meetings | |
| 11:00 AM | Break | Break | Legislative Meetings | |
| 12:00 PM | Creative Advocacy | Redistricting | Immigration | Legislative Engagement Group Work Session |
| 1:00 PM | Medicaid Expansion Work Session | Public Education | Break | |
| 2:00 PM | ↓ | 2022 Starts Now | Racial Justice and the George Floyd Act | |
| 3:00 PM | Break | Women, Policy, and Faith | Break | |
| 4:00 PM | UMW Program Resources | Break | Public Education | |
| 5:30 PM | Climate Justice Panel | Nondiscrimination and the Church | Happy Hour | |
| 6:00 PM | Medicaid Expansion | |||
| 7:00 PM | Reception |
Saturday, January 23
12:00 pm
Bee Moorhead
Creative Advocacy
COVID has forced us to get creative with so many processes…but how creative can we get with legislative advocacy? Texas Impact’s Executive Director will give you new tools and techniques to work for justice, even when you can’t leave the house.
Zoom Link
Bee Moorhead
Texas Impact Executive Director
1:00 Pm
Note that this session will last 2 hours, including breakout groups
Children’s Defense Fund of Texas
Medicaid Expansion Work Session
For a decade, Texas has refused to expand Medicaid, while our uninsured rates have continued to climb, rural hospitals have closed, and Texans have suffered and died needessly. Enough is enough. This work session will prepare you to advocate in your legislative district for Medicaid expansion, including connecting you with other advocates and key networks in your area.
Zoom Link
Dr. Laura Guerra-Cardus
CDF-TX Deputy Director
Cindy Ji
CDF-TX Health Policy Analyst
4:00 PM
Linda Franke, Sue Sidney, and Andris Salter
UMW Program Resources
Join staff of UMW National and Program Resource Coordinators from across Texas to learn about the deep well of resources UMW offers on policy issues; theological frameworks; global ministries; and more.
Zoom Link
Andris Salter
UMW Associate General Secretary for Administration
Linda Franke
Program Resources Coordinator, Rio Texas Conference UMW
5:30 PM
Note that this session begins at 5:30 and will last 90 minutes
Jacqueline Patterson, Keya Chatterjee, Elizabeth Lee, and Avery Davis Lamb
Climate Justice
Climate Justice is one of United Methodist Women’s priority issues, and it’s a core priority for other faith traditions. We are excited to present a powerful keynote panel on climate justice and women’s leadership, featuring four nationally recognized climate leaders.
Zoom Link
Elizabeth Chun Hye Lee
United Methodist Women’s Executive for Economic and Environmental Justice
Jacqueline Patterson
Senior Director of the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program
Keya Chatterjee
Executive Director of USCAN
Avery Davis Lamb
Resillience Coordinator at Creation Justice Ministries
7:00 PM
Online Reception
Please join us for an informal Zoom “reception”–we know it’s not the same as seeing each other in person, but we promise lively conversation and a chance to reconnect with friends from across the state!
Zoom Link
Sunday, January 24
9:00 am
UMW Leaders
Coffee Hour
Incoming Legislative Event President Janna Elliott offers a virtual tour of the United Methodist Women’s Prayer Calendar, and gives ideas for how to use this tool in your personal spiritual discipline as well as with your unit or other small group.
Zoom Link
Janna Elliott
Texas United Methodist Women’s Legislative Event Committee Chair
10:00 am
Bee Moorhead
Creative Advocacy
COVID has forced us to get creative with so many processes…but how creative can we get with legislative advocacy? Texas Impact’s Executive Director will give you new tools and techniques to work for justice, even when you can’t leave the house.
Zoom Link
Bee Moorhead
Texas Impact Executive Director
12:00 pm
Bonnie Bruce
Redistricting in Texas
2021 is the year for the once-a-decade process of drawing new political districts to reflect changes in population. This redistricting cycle will be made more complex because the Census Bureau is late getting updated population numbers to state legislatures…but it also will feature the same partisan and regional complexities as other redistricting years. Find out how you can engage to ensure fair districts for all Texans.
Zoom Link
Bonnie Bruce
Director of Governmental Affairs at Texas Society of Anesthesiologists
1:00 pm
Beaman Floyd
Public Education: For Community
Public education is in many ways the bedrock of state public policy: it’s our greatest expenditure including state and local funding, and it impacts every community in the state. Lawmakers made major changes to public education funding in 2019, but have they been enough to help districts weather the COVID storm, and how sustainable are the gains districts made?
Zoom Link
Beaman Floyd
Lobbyist
2:00 Pm
Josh Houston
Elections: 2022 Starts Now
Texas saw record voter turnout in November, but will 2020’s election turn out to be a one-time phenomenon? Our next election cyle starts in a few months. Texas Impact’s Advocacy Director will offer practical strategies to build civic engagement.
Zoom Link
Josh Houston
Texas Impact Advocacy Director
3:00 PM
Andrea Valdez
Women, Policy, and Faith
A century ago, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution made voting a right regardless of gender—but the reality is suffrage remains a work in progress. Today, women make up more than half of the American electorate and are more engaged than ever in our politics, but they remain underrepresented in government. In this special presentation, Andrea Valdez of The 19th* News unpacks the roles women of faith play…and could play more…in Texas public policy.
Zoom Link
Andrea Valdez
Editor-in-Chief, The 19th* News
5:30 PM
Note that this session begins at 5:30 and will last 90 minutes
Bishop Michael McKee
Nondiscrimination and the Church
As the Texas Legislature considers a range of bills that would expand or curtail human rights in the name of religious freedom, Bishop McKee will take us on a journey through the complicated history of US faith communities’ involvement in public policies related to discrimination and human rights.
Zoom Link
Bishop Michael McKee
Bishop of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church
Monday, January 25
9:00 am
Scott Atnip
Legislative Engagement Groups
Texas Impact Outreach Director Scott Atnip explains Texas Impact’s Legislative Engagement Groups (LEGs), along with help from some current LEG members and friends. Learn why this program is critical to rebuilding a spirit of community in Texas government and find out how to sign up!
Zoom Link
Janna Elliott
Texas United Methodist Women’s Legislative Event Committee Chair
10:00AM
Josh Houston
Elections: 2022 Starts Now
Texas saw record voter turnout in November, but will 2020’s election turn out to be a one-time phenomenon? Our next election cyle starts in a few months. Texas Impact’s Advocacy Director will offer practical strategies to build civic engagement.
Zoom Link
Josh Houston
Texas Impact Advocacy Director
12:00 pm
ACLU of Texas
Immigration: Where Things Stand
After a year of consecutive, compounding crises in which Texans were largely confined to their local geographies, it’s time to hit Refresh on immigration and border issues. ACLU staff will catch us up on the plight of unaccompanied kids; progress on the border wall (yes that’s still happening); and the new surge of migrants from Central America. We’ll talk about how to take action now—and how to get ready for federal immigration reform.
Zoom Link
Michael Seifert
ACLU of Texas Border Advocacy Strategist
2:00PM
Senator Royce West
Racial Justice and the George Floyd Act
Black lawmakers have introduce the George Floyd Act, a sweeping police reform proposal named after Floyd, a Black man killed in Minneapolis police custody. Floyd’s death has sparked calls for policing and criminal justice reforms across the country, including in Texas. Senator West, a longtime civil rights and legislative leader, will explain what the legislation would do, why it’s important, and how you can advocate for its passage.
Zoom Link
Senator Royce West
Texas Senate District 23
4:00 PM
Beaman Floyd
Public Education: For Community
Public education is in many ways the bedrock of state public policy: it’s our greatest expenditure including state and local funding, and it impacts every community in the state. Lawmakers made major changes to public education funding in 2019, but have they been enough to help districts weather the COVID storm, and how sustainable are the gains districts made?
Zoom Link
Beaman Floyd
Lobbyist
5:00 PM
Happy Hour
BYO whatever and join us for a virtual happy hour, hosted by your Legislative Event Committee!
Zoom Link
6:00 PM
Senator Nathan Johnson
Texas Needs Medicaid Expansion Now
Only 12 states are still refusing to expand Medicaid under the terms of the Affordable Care Act. Under the ACA, states have the option to expand Medicaid eligibility to nearly all their residents with incomes at or below 138 percent of poverty ($17,608 for an individual in 2020), with 90% of the cost paid with federal funds. While the Medicaid expansion was intended to be national, the June 2012 Supreme Court ruling essentially made it optional for states. Senator Johnson has filed legislation that would expand Medicaid in Texas.
Zoom Link
Senator Nathan Johnson
Texas Senate District 16
Tuesday, January 26
9:00 am
Texas Impact Staff and Friends
Pre-Legislative Visit Coffee Hour
Last minute questions about your legislative visits? Texas Impact staff will be on hand to answer them and make sure you have what you need for effective advocacy!
Zoom Link
After your legislative visit, come back to this link to debrief!
10:00AM
Legislative Visits via Zoom
11:00 pm
Legislative Visits via Zoom
12:00 pm
Texas Impact Staff
Legislative Engagement Groups Work Session
Stick around after your legislative visit for a working meeting with Texas Impact staff on next steps for the Legislative Engagement Group in your House district…whether there’s already a robust group, or whether the next step is to start one!