CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Free, fair elections, including the right of every citizen to cast a ballot that is duly counted, form the bedrock of American democracy. Voting rights are referred to as “the right preservative of all others,” since only through voting can the people of a community peaceably remove leaders who seek to oppress them. The world’s faith traditions collectively affirm voting as a responsibility both civic and spiritual: through voting, we express our preferences for the circumstances our neighbors will live in.
INDIVIDUAL ACTION
Individual civic participation is the primary building block of our democracy, like cells are the primary building blocks of our bodies. Individual actions—like voting and speaking out on issues—may seem small or insignificant, but collectively they drive our policies and our future.
COLLECTIVE ACTION
Congregations and other faith groups can help their members fulfill their civic engagement responsibilities. They also can serve the wider community by opening doors to civic participation.
ADVOCACY 101
Advocacy means using your voice to advance something you care about. In public policy, advocacy means expressing your views in a way that influences policymakers.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Events
NEWS + UPDATES
Advancing Issues through Elections
The most successful issue organizations in American history achieved that success by injecting their issue into the primary of both political parties. The railroad tycoon, Jay...
Texas’s March Primaries: What’s at stake
Texas’s March Primaries: What’s at stake The future of public education in Texas will be decided in the party primaries. The next month is particularly crucial. ...
Your Voice Only Counts if You Use It
Feel like your voice doesn't matter? Only 14% (!) of eligible Texans vote in the March primaries, but that's when most state legislative seats get decided. Legislators aren't...
Take Action Now: Say NO to Vouchers
Since the first week of October, Texas Impact has collected nearly 4,000 letters signed by people of faith from across Texas telling their representatives they oppose a private...
Getting Souls to the Polls – Houston’s Faith Communities Contribute to Early Voting
The November 2023 general election is underway, and Houston congregations are mobilizing their members to use their voice in the voting booth. As of close of business on October...
Membership Matters: The Role of Faith Communities in Democracy
Voting is a matter of faith, citizenship, and democracy, and I am thankful for the opportunity to support faith communities across Greater Houston and Texas as they lift up the...